Kokera Otoshi (Dropping Chips of Wood)
Kokera Otoshi
こけら落とし
Today I will talk about the Japanese event called “kokera otoshi”.
今日は「こけら落とし」と呼ばれる催しを紹介します。
“Kokera otoshi” is the first event that is held in a newly constructed theater as part of the opening festivities.
「こけら落とし」とは、新築された劇場などで初めて行われる催しです。
“Kokera” means chips of wood that are produced when cutting timber, and “otoshi” means “to drop”.
「こけら」は、「木のかけら」、すなわち木材を削ったときに出る切り屑を意味します。
After building a wooden building, we first brush down “kokera” that are left on the roof.
木造の建物を建てたとき、最後に屋根に残った「こけら」を払い落とします。
From this fact, the event which will be held for the first time after the theater is constructed came to be referred to as “kokera otoshi”.
このことから、劇場が完成して初めて行われる催しを「こけら落とし」と呼ぶようになりました。
By the way, “kokera” is written as “杮” in kanji.
ちなみに、「こけら」を漢字で書くと「杮」です。
This kanji is really similar to “柿” (kaki) (which means “persimmons”), but it’s different at the right part — the vertical bar is connected in “杮” (kokera), while it’s separated in “柿” (kaki).
果物の「柿」という漢字と非常によく似ていますが、つくりの縦棒が繋がっているかどうかが違います。
