GRAMMAR DETAIL

を皮切りに

starting with

Marks the first event as the starting point for similar activities that continue in other places or at other times.

Examples

東京公演を皮切りに、劇団は全国を巡る予定だ。

Starting with its Tokyo performance, the theater company plans to tour the country.

大阪公演を皮切りに、全国を回る。

The nationwide tour will begin with the Osaka performance.

Structure: Attach を皮切りに to the first event to introduce a sequence of similar activities starting with it. 皮切り is read かわきり.
Basic usage: 東京公演を皮切りに、劇団は全国を巡る予定だ。 means that the theater company plans to tour the country with its Tokyo performance as the first event.

Following activities compared with きっかけ
- 公演をきっかけに交流が始まった makes a performance the occasion for a different activity, building connections. 公演を皮切りに全国を回る emphasizes the first in a series of performances continuing across locations.