襟えり替がえ

え

り

が

え

Meanings

becoming a full geisha; geisha promotion ceremony

Refers to the ceremony where a maiko (apprentice geisha) or hangyoku (half-jewel) changes her collar from red to white, symbolizing her transition to a full geisha. A specialized term from the Kyoto and Tokyo geisha world.

Kanji

襟collar, neck, lapel
替exchange, spare, substitute
換interchange, period, change

Related words

半はん玉ぎょく
A term for a geisha apprentice in Tokyo, equivalent to maiko in Kyoto. 襟替え is the ceremony where a hangyoku becomes a full geisha.
舞まい子こ
An apprentice geisha in Kyoto. 襟替え marks her graduation to a full geisha (geiko).

Built from

襟えり+代かえる

Written forms

襟えり替がえ
Standard kanji spelling for the geisha promotion ceremony.
襟えり換がえ
Variant spelling using 換 (exchange) instead of 替 (replace); both are seen.

Etymology

Compound of 襟 (eri, 'collar') and 替え (kae, 'change, replacement'), referring to the collar-changing ceremony. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but the practice is well-established in traditional geisha districts.