〜を皮切りに

Starting with

Level 4Sounds Like wokawakiririni

〜を皮切りに marks a specific event as the 'opening shot' or trigger for a succession of similar events that often grow in scale. It is a formal expression used in news and business.

How It Works

The expression 〜を皮切りに (or its variations 〜を皮切りにして and 〜を皮切りとして) is an advanced formal structure corresponding to JLPT N1.

1. Origin:
The word 皮切り（かわきり） literally means 'cutting the skin,' originating from moxibustion（お灸 - おきゅう）. The 'first burn' was the start of the treatment. It now signifies a major 'opening shot' that triggers a series of events.

2. Usage Constraints:

  • Noun Attachment: It attaches to a Noun representing an action or event.
  • Same Category: The following events must be of the same type as the first (e.g., if the start is a protest, the following events must also be protests).
  • Expansion: It typically describes a development where something expands or spreads. While often used for positive or neutral successes (e.g., a tour starting in one city and spreading to ten), it is also commonly used for negative social events like scandals, arrests, or protests.
  • Exceptions: While usually for human-initiated social events, it is used for specific natural progressions like the blooming of cherry blossoms across Japan.

3. Register:
This is a highly formal pattern used in news, newspapers, and professional reports to describe large-scale developments.

Examples (4)

  1. 今回の東京公演を皮切りに、全国１０都市を回るツアーがスタートする。

    Starting with this Tokyo performance, a tour visiting 10 cities nationwide will begin.

    Word by Word: This time's Tokyo performance [object marker] starting with, nationwide 10 cities [object marker] go-around tour [subject marker] start.

    The Tokyo performance is the 'trigger' for a series of similar events (the rest of the tour).

  2. 一人の記者の告発を皮切りに、政界の汚職が次々と明るみに出た。

    Starting with one reporter's accusation, political corruption came to light one after another.

    Word by Word: One reporter's accusation [object marker] starting with, political-world's corruption [subject marker] one-after-another light-into came-out.

    The first accusation acted as the opening act for a chain reaction of many scandals being revealed.

  3. この新製品の発売を皮切りにして、我が社は海外市場へ本格的に進出する予定だ。

    Beginning with the launch of this new product, our company plans to make a full-scale entry into overseas markets.

    Word by Word: This new-product's sale [object marker] starting with, our company [topic marker] overseas market to full-scale-ly enter plan is.

    The launch is the first step in a larger, expanding business strategy.

  4. その若手俳優は、ドラマでの成功を皮切りに、映画や舞台でも活躍するようになった。

    Starting with his success in a TV drama, that young actor began to play active roles in movies and theater as well.

    Word by Word: That young actor [topic marker], drama in success [object marker] starting with, movies and stage in-also active-role do became.

    The drama success was the first in a series of career expansions into different media.

Common Mistakes

  • Using it for a single, isolated result or unrelated actions.

    彼は結婚を皮切りに、タバコをやめた。
    彼は結婚をきっかけに、タバコをやめた。

    Quitting smoking is a single change. The pattern 〜を皮切りに requires a series of similar events in the same category to follow (e.g., a series of concerts). For a single trigger, use 〜をきっかけに instead.

  • Assuming it can never be used for natural phenomena.

    雨が降り出したのを皮切りに、風も強くなった。
    九州地方の開花を皮切りに、桜前線は北上していった。

    While usually for human actions, it is famously used for seasonal progressions like the 'Cherry Blossom Front.' However, it cannot be used for simple, unrelated weather changes like rain followed by wind.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

〜を皮切りにLevel 4Starting with

Learn This First

To understand '〜を皮切りに', you need to be comfortable with the basic particles 'を' and 'に'. Conceptually, it is similar to other 'starting point' markers like 'をきっかけに', but it specifically emphasizes that one event is the first in a series of similar actions or developments.

Words in This Pattern

皮切り