Kokera Otoshi (Dropping Chips of Wood)

Today I will talk about the Japanese event called "kokera otoshi".

"Kokera otoshi" is the first event that is held in a newly constructed theater as part of the opening festivities.

"Kokera" means chips of wood that are produced when cutting timber, and "otoshi" means "to drop".

After building a wooden building, we first brush down "kokera" that are left on the roof.

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".

By the way, "kokera" is written as "杮" in kanji.

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).

こけら落とし

今日は「こけら落とし」と呼ばれる催しを紹介します。

「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。

「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。

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。

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。

ちなみに、「こけら」を漢字で書くと「杮」です。

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。