14 Japanese Masks

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14 Japanese Masks

Source: https://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/japanese-masks

It's no secret that Japan is fond of masks.

In urban areas, people wear medical masks at the first sign of cedar allergies or a cold. Ostensibly this is all for practical reasons. People will also admit that they enjoy the feeling of privacy that masks provide in a crowded Japanese city.
Beyond modern medical masks, the country has rich traditions of wearing masks that goes back to the earliest days of its recorded history. Examples of Japanese masks include:

1. Samurai Masks

The Samurai wore masks into battle known as Mempo. These were designed both to protect the face and strike terror in the heart of the enemy. They were crafted by special artisans to suit the personality and preferences of each samurai.








2. Kendo Masks

Kendo, literally "way of the sword", is a Japanese martial art that involves sword fighting with bamboo swords and protective armor. The mask component of the armor is known as a "Men" and is attached to the throat and shoulder armor.






3. Festival Masks

Traveling mask vendors follow the Japanese festival circuit all over the country selling overpriced cheap plastic masks in the shape of popular cartoon characters and mythical creatures. These masks can be found at virtually every Japanese festival. They only fit the smallest of children so people typically wear them to the side or back of their head.




4. Hyottoko

Hyottoko is a mythical spirit who is represented with a mask. The stories attached to Hyottoko differ widely by region. In one example, he was a boy with a funny face who could produce gold from his bellybutton. In all variations of the myth, Hyottoko is a lucky spirit with a funny face.

Hyottoko plays a role in a number of traditional dances as a clown-like figure with foolish steps.






5. Okame

Okame is essentially the female version of Hyottoko. The two both have funny faces and are often seen together as a pair. Okame is generally seen as a goddess who generously spreads good fortune. It's common for shines to display gigantic Okame masks at festival time.






6. Oni

Oni are a generic Japanese demon or ogre. They are mischievous creatures who aren't particularly difficult to scare away with a little effort. Oni masks range from comical to incredibly fearsome. Rural Japanese festivals often involve locals wearing oni masks running wild with mischief through the streets.
On the setsubun holiday, dads and moms all over Japan put on a oni mask and try to scare the kids. The kids in turn scare the oni away by throwing beans.






7. Hannya

Hannya are female demons represented much like oni but with horns. Hannya masks are used in Noh theater. They are usually portrayed as extremely fearsome and jealous characters.

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8. Noh Masks

Noh is a type of traditional Japanese musical drama. All the roles were historically played by male actors. Female characters and old men were acted with masks. In modern times, female actors participate in Noh but the traditional masks are still used for female characters. The masks are incredibly complex. They display different facial expressions based on the angle from which they are viewed. In some cases a slight angle change displays a completely different face.




9. Ultraman

In the 1970s, Japanese television had a masked hero and villain boom with characters such as Ultraman and Kamen Rider becoming household names.






10. Animegao

Animegao, literally "comic face", are full masks designed to look like anime and manga characters. They are increasingly popular amongst cosplayers globally, including in Japan.






11. Visual Kei

Visual Kei is a genre of Japanese music that draws on punk and glam influences. Several prominent Visual Kei artists often wear stylized masks.








12. Kappa Masks

Kappa are Japanese river monsters that attack swimmers and like to challenge humans to sumo wrestling matches. They are generally bad guys but keep their promises.

Kappa masks are relatively rare. They are usually represented as statues.




13. Kitsune

Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox. According to Japanese traditions, foxes are thought to be the messengers of the goddess Inari. In Japanese myth, the gods themselves may appear as foxes. In other stories, foxes may appear as beautiful women to trick humans.

Fox masks play a role in various festivals that celebrate these old myths.








14. Tengu

Tengu are a mythical Japanese creature that were historically thought to be troublesome demons who were generally bad luck. This view softened over the centuries and Tengu are now respected as protectors of sacred forests and mountains. Tengu were originally represented as bird-like creatures but with time evolved to look somewhat human with a giant nose. Tengu masks are worn at a variety of festivals and are a popular ornament to decorate temples and businesses such as restaurants.