noun
ground-breaking ceremony
A ceremony held before starting construction, where a shovel or hoe is symbolically used to break the ground.
新しいビルの建設に先立ち、鍬入れ式が行われた。
A ground-breaking ceremony was held prior to the construction of the new building.
Standard kanji spelling.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; less common than the full kanji form.
起工式 is a more general term for a construction commencement ceremony, while 鍬入れ式 specifically involves the symbolic use of a hoe or shovel.
Compound of 鍬 (kuwa, 'hoe') + 入れ (ire, 'putting in') + 式 (shiki, 'ceremony'). The term literally describes a ceremony of putting a hoe into the ground.