noun
rakugo storyteller; professional comic storyteller
Refers specifically to a professional performer of rakugo (traditional Japanese comic storytelling).
彼は若い噺家だが、もう寄席で人気がある。
He is a young rakugo storyteller, but he is already popular at the vaudeville theater.
噺家になるには、師匠に弟子入りする必要がある。
To become a rakugo storyteller, you need to apprentice yourself to a master.
From 噺 (はなし, 'story') + 家 (か, 'professional'). The kanji 噺 is a kokuji (Japanese-created character) combining 口 (mouth) and 新 (new), suggesting a newly told story.