also: つきしろ
shaved pate; shaved crown of the head (for chonmage hairstyle)
Historical term referring to the shaved area on the top of the head from the forehead to the crown, as part of the traditional chonmage hairstyle worn by samurai and later by sumo wrestlers. The reading さかやき is a gikun (special kanji reading).
See also: ちょんまげ
In the Edo period, samurai shaved the top of their heads (sakayaki).
Sumo wrestlers still sometimes shave the top of their heads (sakayaki).
Standard kanji spelling for the historical term; reading さかやき is a gikun (special kanji reading).
Alternate reading つきしろ is listed but is rare and not the usual reading for this historical term.
Kana spelling is common in modern explanatory texts, especially when the kanji reading is non-standard.
The kanji 月代 literally mean 'moon' and 'substitute/age', but the reading さかやき is a gikun (special kanji reading) whose origin is uncertain. The term refers to the shaved pate of the traditional chonmage hairstyle.