colophon; postscript; publication details
Refers to the note at the end of a book or manuscript giving the title, author, date of completion, or publication information. In modern contexts, it can also mean a postscript or verification note.
The colophon of this old manuscript records the date of copying and the name of the monk.
You can find the year of the first edition by looking at the publication details at the end of the book.
Irregular okurigana variant; less common but still encountered.
Compound of 奥 (oku, 'inner part, back') and 書 (kaki, 'writing'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it refers to writing placed at the back of a book.