Tag Archives: Japanese meaning of yago

Yagō (屋号), literally meaning “house name”, is a term applied in traditional Japanese culture to names passed down within a guild, studio, or other circumstance other than blood relations. The term most often refers to the guild names of kabuki actors, but is also applicable to the names artists take from their masters or studios, names taken from one’s business, and a few other similar circumstances. The ya (屋) of yagō, also often seen at the end of a yagō name, means “house”, “roof”, or “shop”, and helps to illuminate the origins and meanings of the term. A number of yagō have associated mon emblems.