鏡開(かがみびら)き

かがみびらき
noun
breaking open of New Year's mochi; opening a sake barrel
culturefood
1. breaking open of New Year's mochi
The traditional ceremony of breaking apart the round mochi that was offered to the gods during the New Year period, usually on January 11.
一月(いちがつ)十一日(じゅういちにち)に鏡開(かがみびら)きをした。
We did the kagami-biraki on January 11.
鏡開(かがみびら)きの餅(もち)でお汁粉(しるこ)を作(つく)った。
I made sweet red bean soup with the mochi from the kagami-biraki.
鏡餅(かがみもち)は包丁(ほうちょう)で切(き)らずに、手(て)や木槌(きづち)で割(わ)るのが正(ただ)しい鏡開(かがみびら)きの作法(さほう)だ。
The proper way of doing kagami-biraki is to break the mochi with your hands or a wooden mallet, not cut it with a knife.
2. opening a sake barrel at a celebration
The ceremonial act of breaking open the lid of a sake barrel with a wooden mallet at celebrations, weddings, or grand openings.
祝賀会(しゅくがかい)で鏡開(かがみびら)きが行(おこな)われた。
A sake barrel opening was held at the celebration.
新店舗(しんてんぽ)のオープンを記念(きねん)して鏡開(かがみびら)きをした。
We held a sake barrel opening to celebrate the new store's opening.
結婚式(けっこんしき)の披露宴(ひろうえん)で新郎(しんろう)新婦(しんぷ)が一緒(いっしょ)に鏡開(かがみびら)きをする演出(えんしゅつ)が人気(にんき)だ。
At wedding receptions, it's popular for the bride and groom to do the sake barrel opening together.

Literally "opening the mirror," where 鏡(かがみ) refers to the round, mirror-like shape of the mochi or sake barrel lid.

SENSE 1 — NEW YEAR'S MOCHI:
The 鏡餅(かがみもち) (round New Year's mochi) is displayed as an offering during the New Year period. On January 11 (or January 15 in some regions), it is broken apart and eaten. The word 割(わ)る (to break) is avoided because of its negative connotations; instead, the auspicious word 開(ひら)く (to open) is used.

SENSE 2 — SAKE BARREL:
At celebrations, participants break open the wooden lid of a sake barrel (酒樽(さかだる)) using wooden mallets. This is a festive ritual at weddings, business openings, and victory celebrations.

Common collocations

  • 鏡開(かがみびら)きをする: to perform kagami-biraki
  • 鏡餅(かがみもち)の鏡開(かがみびら)き: breaking New Year's mochi
  • 酒樽(さかだる)の鏡開(かがみびら)き: opening a sake barrel

Related words

  • 鏡餅(かがみもち): round New Year's mochi — the offering that is broken during the ceremony
  • お汁粉(しるこ): sweet red bean soup — a common way to eat the broken mochi
  • 酒樽(さかだる): sake barrel — used in the celebratory version

Related Words

Related: 鏡餅(かがみもち) (round New Year's mochi)
Related: お汁粉(しるこ) (sweet red bean soup)
general
Added 2026.4.26 21:34 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
25500/25599_kagamibiraki