An uchiage is a gathering held to celebrate the successful completion of a project or event, to acknowledge everyone’s efforts and honor their achievements. It differs from an ordinary drinking party in that it carries a stronger sense of celebration. Its origin is said to come from the Heian period, from the act of striking the drums at the conclusion of a gagaku (court music) performance.
I first heard the word when I was in high school. One of my seniors said, “Today we’re having an uchiage.” I thought it meant that we were going to shoot off fireworks to celebrate the end of the school festival. I remember thinking how cute that senior was.
