Jugemu

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The folktale of Jugemu is one of the most famous Rakugo in Japan. It has a simple story line with the funniest part being repeating of the ridiculously long name. It is often used in a training session of Rakugo entertainers.

A couple could not think of a suitable name for their newborn baby boy, and so the father went to the temple and asked the chief priest to think of an auspicious name. The priest suggested several names, beginning with Jugemu. The father could not decide which name he preferred, and therefore gave the baby all of the names. But one day, Jugemu falls into a lake and his parents arrive barely in time to save him as everyone had trouble reciting his name.

Jugemu's full name is as follows:

Jugemu-jugemu

Gokōnosurikire

Kaijarisuigyo-no Suigyōmatsu

Unraimatsu Fūraimatsu

Kūnerutokoroni-sumutokoro

Yaburakōjino-burakōji

Paipopaipo-paiponoshūringan

Shūringanno-gūrindai :Gūrindaino-ponpokopīno-ponpokonāno

Chōkyūmeino-chōsuke

寿限無寿限無

五劫の擦り切れ

海砂利水魚の　水行末

雲来末　風来末

食う寝る処に住む処

やぶら小路のぶら小路

パイポパイポ　パイポのシューリンガン

シューリンガンのグーリンダイ

グーリンダイのポンポコピーのポンポコナーの

長久命の長助

The recitation from memory of these names is a feature of the NHK children's TV programme Nihongo de Asobou (Let's Play with Japanese Language).

The story of Tikki Tikki Tembo, which is told in America under the auspices of being a Chinese folktale, is very similar.

"Jugemu" (sometimes "Jugem"; known as Lakitu in the U.S.) is also the name of an enemy character from the Super Mario Bros. series of games. In Star Ocean: Blue Sphere, ジュゲム is a colossal underground monster (#40 on the list) showing only a tiny twig and a single leaf aboveground.