Okinawa Theater Mask 'Ryukyu'
Folk mask carved from a single block of pale wood in the manner of the Okinawan festival masks, with round drilled eyes, a bulbous nose and a downturned mouth, unpainted, for the wall.
Okinawa Theater Mask 'Ryukyu'
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The short answer
Decorative mask carved from a single block of pale wood, unpainted, as a wide-eyed spirit with round drilled eyes under a ridged brow, a bulbous nose, hollow cheeks, long ears and a downturned mouth, in the manner of the southern island festival masks. Holes at the sides for a cord. 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
Wooden mask carved as a wide-eyed spirit with round eyes and a downturned mouth
Round eyes, a big nose and a mouth turned down. This mask is cut from a single block of pale wood as a spirit's face with two round drilled eyes under a ridged brow, a bulbous nose with drilled nostrils, hollow cheeks, long ears and a mouth turned down in a curve, in the manner of the festival masks of the southern islands. It is unpainted and the grain shows.
It is the oddest face in the collection and the one people like most, because it is not angry: it is surprised.
The name, Ryukyu, is the old name of the southern islands, whose festival masks the carving follows, and the mask is a face from there.
The mask is carved from a single block of a pale wood, the tool marks left visible on the back and smoothed on the face, with the eyes drilled through and the surface left unpainted so the grain shows. There are two holes at the sides for a cord. It is carved to hang, not to wear.
Hang it on a wall by a cord through the side holes, at eye height, where the light rakes across it from a window or a lamp, because a carved face is made by its shadows. It is the piece that reads as sculpture rather than costume.
The eyes are the detail: round, drilled straight through and set wide under a single ridge, they give the mask a look of alarm rather than menace, and the nose beneath them is carved as a bulb with two holes. The cheeks are hollowed and the mouth is a single downward curve.
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.
Dust with a soft brush; keep it out of direct sun and away from a radiator, which crack unpainted wood, and out of a damp room. It darkens a little with years, as pale wood does.
From across a room it is a pale face with round eyes on a wall. From close the wood shows its grain, the nose its bulb, and the mouth its curve. It is the mask for a person who wants a spirit that is not a demon.
One size. It is the size of a face and a little larger, carved in the round, and it hangs from a cord through the side holes.
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 | Okinawa Theater Mask 'Ryukyu' |
|---|---|
| Chapter | 小物Accessories |
| Collection | Japanese Masks |
| Fabric | Carved wood, unpainted |
| Sizes | One size |
| Made | Japanese design, made in Asia |
| Reference | YONA-0606 |
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