Japanese masks

The use of Japanese masks goes back thousands of years. During the Jomon period, when Japanese culture was in its infancy, it was common to use masks in religious rituals to cover the face of the deceased and thus keep the evil spirits away.
Gradually, masks and their use have evolved. In addition to the death masks, Shinto monks wore masks representing the kami (Japanese gods) to communicate with them. Over time, other religious currents such as Buddhism have begun to use masks with more complex details. Kami masks that cover the whole head or only the face are typical of this period. During the Kofun period, when the Buddhist religion began spreading in Japan, masks were used for various festivities and ceremonies using dance and theatre forms.

Made of ceramic, lacquer, paper or wood by skilled artisans, Japanese masks are characterized by the representation of different Shinto characters, spirits, demons and divinities, linked to animals and other elements of nature. Although it is not known for sure when the masks began to be made in Japan, it is believed that their history dates back to 10,000 BC, as part of religious rituals in the country’s shrines and temples.

Theatre masks Noo

Noh masks are an accessory widely used in Japanese Noh theatre performances. At first, the Noh or Noo theatre had about 60 different masks. Today, there are hundreds, characterizing the different characters that appear in their representations. The Noh is a Japanese theatrical style based on musical drama. He tells stories of traditional literature, through performances and dances in which actors are dressed in beautiful costumes and masks.

These masks are made of carved wood, to make them lighter and more resistant, and painted in very bright colours.

Hanna mask

The Hannya mask is one of the most emblematic of Japanese No. It represents a female demon, with large horns, a mouth with terrifying fangs and long black hair.
According to legend, it was the ghost of a woman deceived by her husband, seeking revenge for anger and jealousy.
Although it is a truly terrifying mask, in Japan, Hannya is considered the best protector against evil spirits. The Hannya mask is lucky, and for this reason it is also used as home decoration.

Hyottoko mask

The name Hyottoko means “fire and man” in Japanese and represents a man with a characteristic grimace blowing fire through a bamboo tube.
Hyottoko is a lucky spirit with a round clown face. His face is covered with a white dot scarf, large eyes and airy cheeks ready to blow.
Although his image may seem comical he is considered the god of fire.
The Hyottoko mask is used in both theatrical performances and traditional dances in which the dancers who wear them play the role of a clown or drunk.

Okame mask

Okame (also known as Otafuku) is the female equivalent of Hyottoko’s mask. It is a mask in the shape of a woman’s face, white with a small mouth, shrunken eyes and red and bounced cheeks.
Okame is considered the goddess of joy. Although it is a very simple mask, it has been popularized in the performances of Kyogen Theatre (the comic form of traditional theatre) where all actors are men.
Okame’s character is a very funny theatre figure, and ideal for the feminine beauty of the time. Used as decoration in houses, it brings joy and good fortune.

Tanuki and Kappa masks

Typical beings of Japanese mythology, Tanuki and Kappa are two frequent characters in traditional plays. They are creatures who make pranks and test humans, who have their own characteristic masks.
Tanuki (inspired from the Japanese liverrin dog) is a very funny character, who takes human and animal forms to mock his victims in the middle of the forest.
Kappa is a legendary creature, shelled with turtles and bird beaks, considered the protector of crops.

Kitsune mask

Kitsune is the most famous fox of Japanese mythology, messenger of the god Inari and protector of rice crops.
Kitsune masks are typical of late summer celebrations celebrated during the cereal harvest. Although they are also used in some theatre performances, it is more common to see them in parades and celebrations related to Shinto rituals.
Kitsune’s classic mask is white with red details. There are other types of masks of different colours, which may vary depending on the region of the country or in some specific shrines.

Tengu Mask

Tengu is one of the most feared names in Japan. The Japanese demon Tengu is represented by a character with an intense red face, an elongated nose or a bird’s beak shape and large wings.
This Japanese demon mask is used in Noh theatre shows, as well as in some Shinto festivals. He is a god protecting mountains and forests, admired in some rural areas of Japan. With this expression of anger and his terrible face, we think he scares bad spirits and chases bad luck.
For this reason, and because of the typical red color of this Japanese mask, which carries luck in Japan, it is widely used as decorative object in houses, shops and restaurants.

Oni Mask

This terrible monster is the greatest fear of Japanese children, represented as a great ogre with red skin with formidable fangs.
The Japanese mask Oni is very popular with children and can be purchased at any toy store or flea market. Almost all Japanese children have their plastic Oni mask, which occupies the front of the stage on Setsubun day, the Bean Throwing Festival.
It is typical that in this celebration there are representations and parades in which actors dress in Oni with ugly masks.

Kabuki masks

Although the Kabuki theatre does not use masks in a traditional way, it is now typical to find kabuki masks in Japan as decorative objects or to take away as souvenirs. These Japanese theatre masks imitate the classic make-up of actors, with white and red colours, as well as other types of decorations.

The actors of the Kabuki theatre paint their faces white with rice powder, then mark other details with different colors depending on the character they must play.

The red lines represent passion and love, while the blue or black lines are jealousy. The purple lines are for the characters of the nobility, and the green ones for the gods and supernatural beings.

Samurai mask

The samurai masks (or Mengu) were designed to protect the faces of warriors during the fighting. Although the classic samurai masks are quite simple, the greatest warriors personalized theirs to be easily recognized by their opponents. It was common to give them a ferocious look by adding moustaches, big fangs and a malicious air, depending on each person’s personality.

Samurai masks were one of the essential elements of the armor. There are 3 types of masks according to shape and size:

Somen masks, covering the whole face.

Menjo masks, covering the nose and chin but not the eyes.

Happuri masks, which covered the forehead and cheekbones offering a larger field of vision.

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