Noh Mask - Another Face Residing in Silence

Noh masks: another face that dwells in silence

What comes to mind when we hear the phrase "a face like a Noh mask"?
Expressionless. Enigmatic silence. Or perhaps a mask that seals away emotion.
But is a Noh mask really "nothing"?

What is a Noh mask?

Noh masks are masks worn by the main character, the "shite," in Noh plays.
Performers "put on" these masks to play non-human beings such as gods, demons, ghosts, and old women.
Saying "put on" instead of "put on" sounds like a ritual of possession.
Facing each other in a hall of mirrors and preparing their minds, the performers transform from "this side" to "the other side."

Expressionless Face

Although Noh masks are carved from wood, they show a lifelike expression on stage.
When you look up slightly, you feel "shining" - elation and joy.
If you look down, it becomes "cloudy" - sadness and silence.
That slight difference in angle evokes deep emotions in the audience.

For example, the "Hannya" mask is said to represent anger, but it also embodies the sadness of a betrayed woman.
The "Komen" is a mask of a young woman. The faint smile on her lips conveys a silent expression that seems to want to say something.

Asymmetrical aesthetics

Noh masks are made asymmetrically.
The angle of the corners of the eyes, the slight differences in the corners of the mouth - these create "yin and yang" and make ambiguous expressions possible.
It is this ambiguity that acts as a mirror that reflects the viewer's mind.

What's Behind the Surface

Noh masks are not meant to hide the performer's face.
Rather, it is a device to bring out the inner side of the performer.
By putting on the mask, the performer transcends his ego and becomes one with the soul of the story.
This is also proof that the performing art of Noh is not a "performance" but a "prayer."

Voices in the Silence

Noh masks don't talk.
But it is precisely because we do not speak that we listen.
In that silence, sadness, joy, anger, and forgiveness emerge.

A Noh mask is another face that dwells within silence.
It may be the form of emotions that lie deep within our own hearts and that we cannot yet put into words.