Introducing the world of Noh : Noh Masks. history and Types.


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Shiro-Syakumi　© TOSHIRO MORITA

Noh is a type of masque, which is performed by actors with masks. There are sixty basic types of Noh masks. It is said that today we have two hundred and some dozens different kinds of Noh masks.

Covering the face with a mask is related to the transformation of a person, just like make-up. It is said that a Noh mask has more power than just a tool of disguise; it has an element of spell, which provides spiritual power to the Noh actor. The Noh mask is called omote. As we can understand from the fact that Noh mask controls the importance (rank) of Noh drama, the mask is quite significant for Noh actors. In most cases, there is no particular mask assigned to a particular character. Rather, the type of masks to be used is designated for each drama. Therefore, it ultimately depends on shite to decide which mask he will use for the drama, and he selects from those available.

The Emergence of Noh Mask

It is unclear how Noh masks emerged. However, it is held that Noh masks of current forms and names were developed from the middle to late Muromachi era. Before the current style was established, the style of Noh masks was not formalized and had stronger religious taste. From the middle to the end of the Muromachi era, Noh masks came to be used not only for characters with religious meanings but also for the actual human characters. It is believed that it happened because the performance of Noh began to value subtleness and profoundness, and in order to strongly express such beauty, the actors needed to conceal the change of their facial expression and the ugliness of their aged faces.

Between the end of Muromachi and the modern age, creating Noh masks was established as the inherited "performance" of several families. The Deme family in Echizen (current Fukui prefecture) and the Iseki family in ohmi (current Shiga prefecture) are famous as hereditary mask makers. The stylization of Noh mask progressed significantly after the emergence of hereditary mask makers. Even today, Noh mask carving is an independent occupation. Although some Noh actors do carve Noh masks, in most cases, Noh actors and mask carvers are independent of each other.

The Expression of Noh Mask - "teru" and "kumoru"

The facial expression of Noh mask is called "medium expression," because it is difficult to determine the emotion the mask expresses. The skills of Noh actors give facial expression to the Noh masks, which do not give an expression of clear emotion. The well-known emotional expression of Noh masks are "teru" and "kumoru." The gesture of raising the face slightly upward is called "terasu," which makes the Noh mask appear to be smiling. On the other hand, the gesture of tilting the face slightly downward is called "kumorasu," which makes the mask appear to be also weeping. Basically, with the simple and miniscule movements, the Noh mask expresses the subtleties of human emotion.

Donning a Noh Mask


吉田篤史　© TOSHIRO MORITA		Backside of Mask　© TOSHIRO MORITA

Noh masks are important cultural assets passed down within a family for generations, just like costumes and other Noh tools. A Noh actor, who finishes putting on his costumes, faces the mirror in kagami-no-ma (the anteroom for performers) and solemnly dons a Noh mask. For a Noh mask, we use the verb "don" instead of "wear."

By putting a mask on and physically unifying with the mask, a Noh actor's spirit is also unified with the mask. Such unification enables the actor to express emotional movement of the character he plays.

Noh masks are slightly smaller than the face of the actor. It does not cover the entire face, and it is best if the chin of the actor who wears the Noh mask can be seen.

Also, a Noh actor has extremely limited sight when he dons a Noh mask since the eye holes on the mask are very small. It is difficult for him to determine the direction on the stage while he is wearing a mask. The Noh stage, therefore, is designed to lead actors, who have narrow sight, in the appropriate direction through the use of columns, etc.

Hitamen (Face without Mask)

In Noh plays, not all actors don masks. Only the shite, the protagonist, and his companion (tsure) don masks. In principle, waki (deuteragonist) does not don a mask. This is called hitamen (face without mask). This is because waki performs a living person. However, the actor's face without mask (hitamen) is also recognized as a Noh mask. Even without a mask, the emotion of a character is not expressed in the actor's face. In some Genzai Noh programs shite and tsure do not don masks.

The Types of the Noh Mask

Okina: This type of Noh mask is incorporated from sarugaku, which was the original form of Noh. It is said that the Okina mask were already in use at the end of Heian era. This is the oldest category among Noh masks.
Jō (Elders): This category includes masks of elders, such as Kojō, Asakuranojō, Sankōjō, and Waraijō. These masks are often donned when shite performs a personification of a ghost in maeba (the first half of the story) in Waki Noh (the First-group Noh) or Shura Noh (the Second-group Noh).
Onna-men (Women): As many people are reminded of this type of masks when it comes to Noh masks, these are the most popular masks and come in a variety of styles. The women's masks are minutely classified mainly based on age and character. Ko'omote, Wakaonna, Zō, and Magojirō express young, beautiful, and distinguished women.
Ohmionna is also a young but more touchable woman. Fukai and Shakumi express sophisticated middle-aged women. Compared to Fukai, Shakumi mask has stronger facial expression.
Deigan has golden eyes, which express the woman belonging to unreal world. Rōjo and Uba are old women.
Otoko-men (Men): The masks included in this category are varied based on the social status and the scene in drama. This category includes masks, such as Heida, Chūjō, Jūroku, Hatachiamari, Dōji, Kasshiki, and Yaseotoko.
Kijin (Demons): The masks in this category are believed to have appeared early in the development of Noh art. They express some supernatural existence, such as oni (demon) and tengu (long-nosed goblin). They are classified into two large categories: "Tobide," which are used for demonic gods and evils, and "Beshimi," which includes tengu (long-nosed goblin). The famous Hannya mask is included in this category.

Noh masks used for a particular drama include Okina, Kagekiyo, Yamanba, Yorobōshi, and Shōjō.

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