btw, an elementary school near Sauna Adam and Eve, it's called Kohgai elementary school.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tiPFuHsr7KI/S91EZ0gc52I/AAAAAAAABbc/Vd6oyIu0Ixw/s320/%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A7%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%EF%BC%882010-05-02+18.22.15%EF%BC%89.png)
昔、髪を整えたり、かゆいところを掻いたりするのにつかった細い装身具のことのようです。かんざしとの違いも上記リンクに載っています。ほほ〜う。
I assume since Edo era? people use it to make hair in a shape or scratching head without making a mess of a hair style. The link above explains a difference between kohgai and kanzashi, too.
で、なぜこの辺りが笄と呼ばれているか?
以下、笄小学校のサイトより拝借いたします。
Well, so, why this around is called "Kohgai" then?
The below is borrowed from Kohgai elementary school site.
「第一の説は、939年の天慶の乱において源経基が竜川を渡る時、見張りの武士に通行を断られたため、味方の証として刀の鉤匙を与えたことから、この橋が鉤匙(こうがい)橋と呼ばれるようになり、後に笄(こうがい)橋に変わったという説。
"The first theory: When Minamoto no Tsunetomo was going to across a river, the Tengyo War in 939, guard samurai refused to his passage. So Tsunetomo gave his Kohgai of a sword to him as an evidence of being ally. So, that bridge was named after that and changed its kanji later on.
The second theory: When Tokugawa Ieyasu opened Tokugawa Shogunate, he gave houses near the school to ninja Kouka and Iga, so a bridge nearby also called Kohga-Iga bridge and changed its kanji later on."
まぁ、装身具が忍者までつながるとは思いもしませんでしたよ!
Oh my, I'd never imagine this connection between Ninja and hair accessory!