Rakugo comedian Sanyutei Enraku, a key member of the long-running TV show Shoten, died of lung cancer Oct. 29, his family said Oct. 30. He was 76.

Sanyutei Enraku KYODO PHOTO

Known for his flowing and elegant style, Enraku, whose real name was Hiroumi Yoshikawa, sparked a boom in TV appearances by the traditional comic storytellers, who relate the humorous tales alone on stage.

He left Shoten, which Nippon TV airs on Sunday evenings, in 2006 after suffering a stroke the previous year.

His last rakugo performance was at Tokyo's National Engei Hall in February 2007.