Antique Japanese Wooden Hyottoko Mask Kagura Noh Carving #5545

width: approx. 14.0cm (5.5in)

height: approx. 19.4cm (7.6in)

weight: approx. 155g

condition: Scratches, stains, scuffs, small dents, peeling, chips, missing hair, and aged deterioration.

Accessories: None

Shipping: Shipped from Japan with a tracking number. We take great care in professional packaging to ensure the item arrives safely.

This is an antique wooden-carved Hyottoko mask, a figure that has fascinated people for generations through Japan’s traditional performing arts and festive celebrations. Its humorous and endearing expression represents far more than a simple comic character; Hyottoko has long been cherished as an auspicious and sacred figure believed to bring good fortune. Through exceptional carving skill and masterful sculptural balance, this work beautifully captures the distinctive asymmetry and dynamic three-dimensionality that define the character.

Particularly remarkable are the richly matured colors and the deep patina developed through many decades of age. The scenery of antiquity created by the passage of time imparts a unique presence that can never be replicated by contemporary works, leaving a profound impression on all who behold it. Delicate details, such as the finely rendered facial hair along the eyebrows and chin, together with the gaze that combines playful charm with an air of mystery, testify to the remarkable artistic and craftsmanship value of the artisan who created it.