Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Masquerade - Japan

Alright, how about this- a recurring series of posts regarding strange masks and even full on costumes worn in different countries throughout the world. Japan, with all of their Noh, Oni, Hannya, and the like, seems as good a place to start as any. I'll brainstorm for more obvious ones. Italy, Venice in particular, seems the most logical next step. If anyone knows of any country or region with its own strange, unique mask tradition, or digs some odd style of mask they think no one else will think of, by all means add your own post to what may become a small series.




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Eerie looking figure, wish there was a bigger shot.



















4 comments:

Marcel Ruijters said...

Beautiful stuff! It is interesting that these Japanese masks have this expression of fright, as if casting a first glance in the mirror. Maybe that is something typical, as modern Japanese films like Shinya Tsukamoto's have the horror of the self as their main theme. I am also fiercely reminded of the classic Onibaba, one of my all-time favorites.

Robert Adam Gilmour said...

I love those guys. I always wanted to know what the swinging of the hair is about and the ghostly "yoooooohoooo! Yoooooooooo!" voices was all about.

Aeron said...

Great collection of photographs! I've been looking at a lot of vintage Halloween masks lately. I suggest looking up Krampus masks, those are some of the more monstrous and disturbing masks out there.

Kurt Komoda said...

The "third eye" mask is awesome!