Description
The [usobuki] mask is used to portray animal spirits, including characters such as the mouse in [Daikoku Furyū] and the octopus in [Tako]. Some believe the lips are pursed to utter a ritual prayer, while others say they are emulating fire-breathers. Similar renderings of lips are found in historical [gigaku] and [bugaku] masks, suggesting this depiction may simply be carrying on earlier traditions.
Data source
ColBase
"ColBase: Integrated Collections Database of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan" is a service that enables a multi-database search of the collections in the four national museums (To...
Contents holder/Provider
Aggregator
National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
The National Institutes for Cultural Heritage (NICH) comprise four National Museums (Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto National Museum, Nara National Museum, and Kyushu National Museum) and two National Research Institutes for Cultural Properties (Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, and Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties), as well as the International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI) in Sakai City, for a total of seven institutions.
Last updated
September 21, 2026