Halloween Masks

Halloween Masks

Japanese traditional masks are ideal for Halloween. Japanese mask-making has a long history and the masks are associated with the ancient legends and myths of the Japanese people. Masks have been used in Japan for rituals, initiation rites and dance performances since as long ago as the Jomon Period (10,000 BC-300BC).

Traditional paper Japanese mask

Elaborate masks are also a part of traditional Japanese dramas and dance such as: Noh, Gigaku, Kyogen and Kagura.

Japanese masks are a mixture of both animal and human faces. As well as a form of disguise, the wearer of a mask takes on the spiritual force of the person or animal represented by the mask.

GoodsFromJapan's hand-crafted papier mache masks include tengu - the mischievous, sexually-suggestive, long-nosed forest spirit, the crafty fox, kitsune, otafuku - the female spirit of joy and happiness and the grotesque hyotoku - the human bellows (seen above).

Japanese Halloween Masks

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