[Traditional Performing Arts] Noh and Kyogen Masks: Beautiful "Tools" that Show a Variety of Expressions

The classical Japanese performing arts of Noh and Kyogen are also known as masked plays. This is because the performers wear masks in many of the plays, or roughly 80% of the time in Noh. We interviewed Iwasaki Hisato, a Noh and Kyogen mask maker who has been making masks, an essential part of the stage, in Kanagawa Prefecture for around 50 years.
(Interview cooperation: OTABISHO Yokohama Noh Theater)

Enchanted by the feminine side

There are over 50 typical types of Noh masks, and roughly 250 different types in total. Noh masks with a long history made from the Muromachi period to the early Edo period are called "honmen" and are treasured by each family.

-Please tell us what inspired you to start making Noh masks.

I saw a bonfire Noh performance on Iwasaki TV and thought the female masks were beautiful and I wanted one. Since I was good with my hands since I was a child, I wanted to try making one myself, so I looked for a woodcarving class and started attending. However, the teacher had no experience in making masks, so he taught me how to make them freely. I went to the class every week for about three years, taught myself how to make Noh-like masks using raw wood such as willow, and exhibited my work. At that time, I saw Noh masks for sale in a department store and was shocked at how expensive they were. I thought I could do that too, so I became a full-fledged mask-making craftsman just before turning 30.

-It seems that many Noh masks are called "copies" and are made using the original mask as a model. What is your process for making them?

Iwasaki: For hundreds of years, many artists have made stencils based on the dimensions of the original masks, and have continued to make exact copies. However, I don't use stencils, and I hardly ever measure dimensions. I draw the outline directly on cypress wood, roughly cut it with a chisel, measure the dimensions, and then shape it from the front and side. Depending on the type of mask, I can sometimes finish the surface in a single day.

- That's pretty quick. How many works do you have?

Iwasaki: Once the surface is complete, the back side is hollowed out with a chisel to create a smooth finish, a process known as ura-nishi. The process then continues with removing the resin from the cypress, lacquering the back of the mask, applying a primer coat, a top coat, and coloring, and a female mask takes about a month to complete. I have about 200 to 300 of these at home. When I carry them around, I put them in a bag like this, made from old fabric from Noh costumes.

The luxury of being able to see things up close, with a monthly rotation

OTABISHO Yokohama Noh Theater is a gallery and shop showcasing Noh and Kyogen that is open on the 5th floor of Landmark Plaza for a limited time until March 2026. Iwasaki exhibits three Noh masks here every month.

-This month's exhibition is about "Komen" masks.

Iwasaki So is one of the most well-known female masks, along with "Wakaonna" (Young Woman) and "Mambi" (Wanbi). This mask of a young woman is characterized by her plump, lustrous skin and long, undisturbed hair. Be sure to compare the three masks at the exhibition. Even though they are young, you will be able to see the differences in their ages and expressions.

Iwasaki: I think of Noh masks as tools, not works of art, and their makers as craftsmen, not artists. The mask is the director himself, and the stage is decided when the shite chooses the mask. That's why, although there is the expression "a face like a Noh mask," I would rather create a "mask that moves on stage."

-Mr. Iwasaki, you also perform on the Noh stage, don't you?

I was encouraged to also perform utai and shimai if I was going to wear the Iwasaki mask, so I studied under Moriya Yoshimi, a shite actor of the Konparu school, and have performed three times so far. Previously, I would create works drawing on my memories of the 3,000 to 4,000 Noh and Kyogen performances I had seen as a child, including the Kagura and Takigi Noh. Now, as a craftsman, my mindset has changed and I am thinking about the mask I would want to wear if I were to dance. I am proud to say that I am the only shite who dances wearing a mask I make myself.

80th Birthday and Beyond

Three strands of hair are drawn with a brush, flowing from the forehead of the small mask. This is an area where Iwasaki's skill shines through, as he carries out the entire process himself. At the exhibition at OTABISHO Yokohama Noh Theater, you can get a close-up look at the details that you don't normally get to see.

- It was interesting to see the backside with the chisel marks. What kind of surface would you like to try next?

Iwasaki: From November 4th to 9th, I held a Noh Mask Exhibition in my hometown of Isogo Ward, Yokohama, to celebrate my 80th birthday, where I exhibited and sold 20 masks, including "Douji." When it comes to creating Noh masks, I'm drawn to both those that put the shite at ease, to the point that they say they "feel like they're dancing with the mask," and those with expressions that are too realistic and difficult to dance with. I'd love to come across a mask that will inspire me and serve as a reference.

Text by Mai Shimura (editor/writer)

Hisato Iwasaki (Noh and Kyogen mask artist)
Official website: here
Interview cooperation: OTABISHO Yokohama Noh Theatre