Mask Of Mikoto, Mythical Imperial Ancestor - Kagura Theater Japan Mid-20th Century N°2 #894

Lacquered wood, animal hair mustache. Some signs of use. The mask is engraved on the back "Kiyoshi Otsu / or Kyomi" (?). A label reads "Susanoo no Mikoto". This is Susanoo no Mikoto, brother of Amaterasu (sun goddess) and Tsukuyomi (moon god). A central figure in the Shinto pantheon, often associated with storms, the sea, and heroic trials. He is the mythical ancestor of the imperial family. Kagura performances are sacred Shinto dances performed during ceremonies at shrines. Kagura, which literally means "entertaining the gods", is a sacred Japanese dance and music ritual dedicated to the Shinto gods. Masks representing characters or creatures from the Kojiki (story of the origins of Japan, work from the 8th century). The difference with Nō: kagura masks are simpler, often expressive, colorful, made to be seen from afar in a popular and festive setting. Nō masks, on the other hand, are more refined, codified and used in an aristocratic theater. There are kagura "divinities" (kami), human characters, animals (fox, lion), oni (demons).