Japanese Cat Mask 'Bakeneko'
Cat mask in hand-painted white PVC with pointed ears, black inner ears, black eye markings, a curled black mouth and black tassels with brass bells.
Japanese Cat Mask 'Bakeneko'
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The short answer
Full-face mask in hand-painted white PVC on the pointed-eared shape of the fox masks, painted as a cat with black inner ears, black eye markings, a black nose and a curled black mouth, black cords and tassels at the sides with brass bells, and an elastic strap. One size.
Fabric & care
The composition is stated in the description and printed on the inner label. Machine wash cold, inside out, with similar colours. Hang to dry. Iron on low, inside out over prints or embroidery.
Shipping & returns
Shipping is free on every order, with no minimum. Duties and import taxes are prepaid at checkout. Orders leave in 1 to 3 business days and take 6 to 12 business days on average; a tracking number is emailed on dispatch.
You may return any item within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. Write to contact@yonaku.com and we email you a prepaid label.
What we sell, and what we don't
Japanese designs, made in Asia. Cotton, linen or polyester as stated on each piece, never silk. We name every garment for what it is: a kimono jacket is not a haori, an unlined kimono is not a yukata.
- Free shippingEvery order, no minimum
- Duties prepaidNothing to pay on delivery
- TrackedNumber emailed on dispatch
- 30-day returnsFree, prepaid label
- Sizing helpRuns small: take the larger size
- A person repliesText or email, no bots
About this piece
White mask with pointed ears, black cat markings and black tassels with bells
A cat on the fox's face. This mask is the same white pointed-eared shell as the fox masks in the collection, painted as a cat: black inside the ears, black markings sweeping from the eyes, a black nose and a mouth painted in a curl with whiskers, and black cords and tassels at the sides with a brass bell on each. The shape is a fox's; the markings say cat, and the name says which cat.
It is the mask for a person who wanted the fox and has a cat, and the curled mouth is the joke.
The name, Bakeneko, is the shape-shifting cat of the old stories, the house cat that lives too long and learns to walk on two legs, and the mask is its face.
The mask is a moulded PVC shell, light and unbreakable, painted by hand in white with the markings brushed on and sealed, with the eyes cut open and the inside plain. It fastens with an elastic strap, and two tassels on cords hang from the sides with small brass bells at the ends.
Wear it on the face with the strap behind, or pushed up to the side of the head with the tassels hanging, which is how a fox mask is worn at a Japanese festival by everyone who is not currently a fox. It goes with a yukata, a jinbei or a hoodie equally.
The mouth is the detail: painted as a black curl under the nose with a whisker line each side, it is the one mark on the mask that is a cat's and not a fox's, and it gives the face a smirk. The eye markings sweep back in black without the red of the foxes.
Hung on a wall it is a face in the room, and that is how most of them end up: on a nail by the door, over a desk, in a hallway where a guest meets it first. It is photographed at the same scale as every mask in the collection, so the pages compare.
Wipe with a soft dry cloth; the paint is sealed but not scrub-proof. Keep it flat in a bag; the shell does not crack but the tassels tangle.
From across a room it is a white face with black on it and pointed ears. From close the mouth shows its curl, the ears their black, and the bells their brass. It is the mask for a festival and a person whose cat would approve.
One size, adult or teenager. The mask covers the face from the brow to the chin, the ears rise above, and the strap adjusts.
Questions about the japanese masks
Which masks can be worn and which are for the wall?
The hannya, fox, cat, tengu, hyottoko, Noh, samurai half masks, the ninja mask and the armoured mask all have straps and are worn. The six unpainted wooden masks are carved to hang; they have cord holes, not straps.
What are they made of?
Hannya: painted resin. Fox and cat: hand-painted PVC. Samurai half masks: painted latex. Wooden masks: a single block of pale wood, unpainted. The others are moulded and painted. The fabric line on each page says which.
Are they made in Japan?
No. They are a Japanese design, made in Asia. We say so on every page.
What size are they?
One size, adult; the fox and hyottoko masks fit a teenager too. Straps adjust. The large wooden folk mask is bigger than a face; every mask is photographed at the same scale, so the pages compare.
What is the difference between a hannya and an oni?
A hannya is the Noh mask of a woman turned demon by jealousy, with horns, gold eyes and a mouth that does not close; its colour, red, green or blue, marks how far she has gone. An oni is the mountain demon of folklore, and the wooden one here is that.
How do I look after them?
Wipe with a soft dry cloth. Keep resin, PVC and latex out of a hot car and direct sun. Dust the wooden masks with a brush and keep them away from radiators and damp.
What we sell, and what we don't
Japanese designs, made in Asia. Cotton, linen or polyester as stated on each piece, never silk. We say so on every page, because the alternative is selling you a word instead of a garment.
On the record
| Piece | Japanese Cat Mask 'Bakeneko' |
|---|---|
| Chapter | 小物Accessories |
| Collection | The japanese masks collection |
| Fabric | Hand-painted PVC, tassels, brass bells |
| Sizes | One size |
| Made | Japanese design, made in Asia |
| Reference | YONA-0618 |
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