Friday, September 23, 2016

Japanese Masks

Japanese Masks


  Japanese culture has always fascinated me, but what I really didn't look into the Japanese culture was the Japanese masks you'll be seeing later on. If you know about masks, you should probably know that each mask has its own story and names. Each mask have different roles to play when they're put on. Here are the following Japanese masks; 











 Japanese mask is called "Otafuku". Otafuku is basically described as someone's happy grandma from the look on her face, I can see why. It's really a funny looking mask but at the same time it's warm and easy to get use to. People don't really know how she first appears but there's two theories how. According to this website, "According to one source Otafuku first appeared around the end of the Ashikgaga period (1392-1569) as the name of a miko named Kamejo (Tortoise Woman) at a certain Shinto Shrine, whose face resembled the traditional mask known as Okame (Tortoise).  She was devoted to the goddess Uzume no mikoto, and had a charming exuberance that seemed to radiate from her very being.  Despite her homely appearance, her sincerity and purity of spirit was such that even a villain of the most dastardly stripe would undergo a change of heart just by gazing at her face.  Because of this a mask resembling her was fashioned and given the name Otafuku (Much Good Fortune).  From the beginning the name Otafuku became known through the land.  However, there is another theory that Otafuku’s face was modelled after the goddess Uzume no mikoto." - 
/http://www.greenshinto.com/wp/2012/03/25/otafuku-and-uzume/







The Semimaru mask that represents happiness and serenity, in my opinion that is. It's the trype of mask you don't want to disturb its sleep. Semimaru actually represents the face of blind boy but the boy is also the son of an emperor. I like how ovalish the mask is and how smooth it looks, but I don't like how its eyes are closed, it could be a little open but then it would look like it's half asleep. This mask is used for the excursively for the play, "Semimaru."

























The Hannya mask above is a mask used in Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon. It possesses two sharp bull-like horns, metallic eyes, and a leering mouth. In my opinion it's such a cool mask and could be used for Halloween probably. This mask has more features added to it and it doesn't look like it has any "flat" surfaces on it.










The Tanuki mask was used in Kyogen scene when hunting Tanuki. Tanuki is a Japanese raccoon dog. The mask looks like it has a smooth flat surface and to be honest, that kind of makes me want to touch it.















The Wakaonna mask is a mask representing a young lady. It was used by men if they had a female role in theater since women weren't allowed to perform. Kind of like the Otafuku mask in the beginning but much smoother and flat and also ovalish. The design is kind of funny too.








No comments:

Post a Comment