beginning of a book/magazine; opening pages
Refers specifically to the front matter or opening section of a publication, such as the first few pages or the start of the content.
The editor-in-chief's greeting appears at the beginning of the magazine.
beginning of a matter; start
Extended figurative use for the start or opening phase of an event, project, or story. Less common than the publishing sense.
At the beginning of the story, the protagonist was still an ordinary student.
A short story by a famous writer graced the opening pages of this month's issue.
The magazine ran a feature article in its opening pages.
巻頭 is the opening pages of a book or magazine, while 巻末 is the closing pages at the end.
Compound of 巻 (kan, 'volume; scroll') and 頭 (tō, 'head; beginning'), literally 'head of the scroll'. The reading かんとう is the on'yomi of both characters.