Kagami-biraki
鏡開き
Definição
The ceremonial breaking open of a sake barrel (komodaru) by striking the wooden lid with a mallet. Kagami-biraki is performed at celebrations, weddings, grand openings, and festivals as a symbol of good fortune and new beginnings.
Em Profundidade
The lid of the barrel is called the kagami (mirror), and biraki means 'to open,' so the ceremony literally opens a mirror — symbolizing looking forward to the future. The barrel used is a komodaru, wrapped in straw matting and typically containing 72 liters (4 to) of sake. The sake inside absorbs cedar aromas from the barrel during storage, giving it a distinctive woody character that some love and others find overpowering. After the lid is broken, sake is ladled into masu for all attendees to share in the toast.