Yakshagana (Tulu: ಯಕ್ಷಗಾನ/Kannada: ಯಕ್ಷಗಾನ, yakṣagāna, [jʌkʃəɡanə]) is a musical theater popular in the coastal and Malenadu regions of Karnataka, India. Yakshagana is the recent (200 years) scholastic name for what are known as kēḷike, āṭa, bayalāṭa, bayalāṭa, daśāvatāra (Kannada: ಕೇಳಿಕೆ, ಆಟ, ಬಯಲಾಟ, ದಶಾವತಾರ). It is believed to have evolved from pre-classical music and theatre during Bhakti movement. Yakshagana is popular in the districts of Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Shimoga and Kasaragod district . Yakshagana is gaining popularity in Bangalore since a few years. It has drawn comparisons to the Western tradition of opera. Actors wear costumes and enact various roles. Traditionally, Yakshagana would go on all night. It is sometimes simply called as ಆಟ "play" in both Kannada and Tulu.Yaksha-gana literally means the song (gana) of a yaksha, which was a term for exotic tribes of ancient India.

Yakshagana consists of a himmela "background music group" and a mummela "dance and dialog group", which together perform Yakshagana poetry. Himmela consist of a bhagawata "singer" who is also the director (also called the first actor, modalane vesha), maddale, harmonium for drone (pungi was used earlier) and chande (loud drums). The music is based on Carnatic ragas characterised by melodic patterns called Mattu and Yakshagana Tala. Yakshagana Talas are believed to be based on patterns which later evolved into Carnatic talas.