noun
street storytelling; begging storyteller's performance
Historical practice, especially in the Edo period, where a storyteller would recite war tales or lectures near roads or temples while soliciting donations.
江戸時代には、辻講釈が盛んに行われていた。
In the Edo period, street storytelling was widely practiced.
辻講釈は、物語を語りながら道行く人からお金をもらう芸だった。
Street storytelling was a performance art where the teller would receive money from passersby while narrating tales.
大道芸 is a broader term for street performance (juggling, acrobatics, etc.), whereas 辻講釈 is specifically a narrative performance with a begging element.
Compound of 辻 (tsuji, 'crossroads, street') and 講釈 (kōshaku, 'lecture, exposition'). The term refers to a historical form of street performance where a storyteller would deliver tales, often war stories, at busy outdoor spots while collecting alms.