Masks - men - INFO

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Men, omote 面 masks

Masks have been used for ritual dances since olden times.
They can be carved from wood or made from other material.

Simple papermachee masks are often sold at festivals for children to enjoy (and their parents).

Some masks are famous regional amulets.


. Daruma men 達磨面 Daruma Mask .

. Kagura Dance　神楽 .

. Mask of Fudo Myo-O　お面不動明王 .


. O-Kame お亀 and Hyottoko ひょっとこ
O-Tafuku お多福

. oni no men 鬼の面　Oni demon masks / kimen 鬼面 .

. Tengu no men　天狗の面 mask of a Tengu .

. tsuina 追儺 "demon exorcism" masks .


Maybe the most famous mask of Japan is the

Hannya　般若 Hanya
This mask is used in Japanese Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon or serpent. It has two sharp bull-like horns, staring eyes, and a leering mouth split from ear to ear.



Click on the photo to see one more of my Demon friends.




Protect yourself from ghosts while staying stylish this winter
with new Heart Sutra tights
- source : en.rocketnews24.com -


. Onipedia - 鬼ペディア　- Oni Demons - ABC-List - .

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nomen, no men, nohmen 能面　No-men, Nō men Noh Theater masks

. Noh (能 Nō), or Nogaku (能楽 Nōgaku) .

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The kishin 鬼神 demon masks:
This is assumed to have appeared in the early stage of the history, describing supernatural substances such as demons or Tengu (long-nosed goblins). It is distinguishable by its forceful and wild appearance, and roughly classified into two types;
Tobide 飛出 portraying demons or savages, and
Beshimi 癋見 / 閉歯見 portraying goblins such as Tengu.
- beshimi means mouth clamped firmly shut.
- - - Featured in detail on the page of the-noh.com:
Fudō （不動）
Kurohige （黒髭）
Myōga-akujō （茗荷悪尉）
Shikami （顰）
Shishiguchi （獅子口）
Shōjō （猩々）
Tsuri-manako （釣眼）
Yakan （野干）
Ō-beshimi （大癋見）// Ko-beshimi （小癋見）// Kuro-beshimi （黒癋見）// Kiba-beshimi （牙癋見）// Hige-beshimi （鬚癋見）
Ō-tobide （大飛出） // Ko-tobide （小飛出）
- source : the-noh.com/sub/jp/index ... -


Ō-beshimi


Ō-tobide


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under construction

. . . . . Regional masks

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Aichi

. Shooki no men 鍾馗面 Mask of Shoki .
Utari Jinja 菟足神社


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Aomori

menbue, men no fue 面笛 masks as clay whistles


source : asahi-net.or.jp/~vc3k-nrm

They are the only one's of its kind in Japan. About 4 cm high.

. Doll Flutes 人形笛　ningyoobue、ningyoo no fue .

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. Ehime Folk Art -　愛媛県　 .

hamaki　はまき . 破魔鬼　demon mask to ward off evil
from Isono Jinja 伊曽乃神社 , 西条 Saijo Town

shika men 鹿面 deer masks ... yatsujika odori no men 八鹿踊りの面
for the autumn festival at Uwajima Town


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Fukui

Yoshizaki 吉崎の御坊鬼面 demon masks



yome odoshi men 嫁おどし面 mask to scare the bride
Once a mother-in-law wanted to scare the bridea and put on the Demon Maks. But in the end she could not get it off any more (since she was the ONI of the household, after all). The pious bride chanted prayers to Amida Buddha and finally mother was saved.



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Yoshizaki Gobou
The 8th generation chief priest of the Hongan-ji temple, Rennyo Shonin, escaped from Kyoto after being persecuted by the Hieizan sect. He arrived at Yoshizaki Mountain, where he opened a monk hermitage 御坊 . Shonin left important achievements and tenets of Buddhism during his stay in Yoshizaki. This became the basis for the establishment of Shinshu Kingdom.
Today, the ruins of Gobou are designated as a national historical site. It was rebuilt as a park and includes a bronze statue of Shonin that was created by Koun Takamura. This area is surrounded by Kitaga Lake on three sides, and has gorgeous scenery.
- source : go-centraljapan.jp -

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Fukuoka

Buzen Kagura　豊前神楽




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Gunma

. Kashoozan no tengu men 迦葉山の天狗面
Tengu mask from mount Kashozan .


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Gifu

. Shishigashira 獅子頭 lion head mask .


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Hiroshima

. betchaa men べっちゃー面 masks.

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広島海田 熊野神社 Kaita, Kumano Jinja




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Hyogo

Himeji Papermachee Masks 　姫路張子の面



There are more than 50 types.
「天狗、烏天狗、赤鬼、青鬼、般若、お多福、ひょっとこ、桃太郎、犬、猿、雉、狐、河童、兎、」等５０種類ほどあるといわれています。面作りの型は土製の瓦型です。
- source : www.colle-vill.com -


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bugaku masks 舞楽　Bugaku Court Dance



. 舞楽面 Bugaku dance masks .


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. Iwate Folk Art - 岩手県　 .

. Kagura Dance Masks from Hayachine Kagura 早池峰神楽面 .

oni kenbai 鬼剣舞 "demon sword dance"
Dancers wear masks of five different colors ...


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Kyoto

Senbon Shakado 千本釈迦堂おかめ面 mask of O-Kame



. Saga men 嵯峨面 masks from Saga .

kappamen - Kappa mask
kuromen 黒面 black mask
onimen, oni men 鬼面 demon masks, Kurama


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Miyagi

. Kamagami 釜神 The Hearth Deity .
Kamagamisama 釜神様, カマ神
Aragamisama, Koojinsama, Koojin sama 荒神様


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Miyazaki - 高千穂　Takachiho

. Yokagura 夜神楽　Sacred Night Dance - Kagura Masks .


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Niigata

Urasa no neko men 浦佐の猫面 cat mask from Urasa



a kind of bakeneko, monster cat


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Saga

men buryuu 浮立面 masks 「面浮立（めんぶりゅう)




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鹿島の面浮立　Kashima-no-Menburyuu　Men Buryu in Kashima
Men Buryu is a traditional mask dance handed down in the southwestern part of Saga Prefecture including Kashima City. Although the styles of dances differ from town to town, they are mostly performed at autumn festivals in each area. It is said that the word “Buryu” derives from “Furyu School,” a school of lion dance handed down since the ancient times.

Men Buryu dance is a kind of ritual performing art that is dedicated to pray for abundant harvest and rainfall. Wearing Furyumen, a mask looking like a demon, over the face, an indigo happi-coat with bold patterns and white momohiki-pants and dangling a small drum from the neck, the dancers dance fiercely to the sounds of Japanese flutes, drums, and gongs.

According to one theory, the dance originates in an old story that during the Warring States period (1493-1573), the lord of this area made his soldiers wear masks of a demon or a Chinese lion and Shaguma (a wig of long horse hair usually made of wool or hemp) on the head when they went to war. Then the soldiers made a night attack on the enemy while beating drums and gongs and gained a victory.

However, another theory states that Furyumen mask was contrived to get rid of the evil spirit that damaged the crops and to pray for rich harvest. To be sure, their brave dances are powerful enough to get rid of the evil spirit.
- source : nippon-kichi.jp -


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Shimane

Iwami kagura men 石見神楽面 Kagura dance masks from Iwami




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Tokyo

. Inari no men 稲荷の面 fox masks　.


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Tottori

. Kazari men 飾り面 decorative masks
Oota village 大田 .


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Yamanashi

. kanakanbutsu かなかんぶつ Kanakan Masks .

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. Regional Folk Toys from Japan .


. Tohoku after the BIG earthquake March 11, 2011

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