Noh Mask

MOA: University of British Columbia

3139/23 a-b

A carved wooden Noh mask of “Hannya”. Painted stringy black hair and very faint eyebrows. The skin is painted in yellowish-grey, the teeth are dark grey and gold, and its lips are red. The face is grimacing, and has protruding gold eyes and two horns. There is a dark purple cord on the back of the mask attached through small holes at the temples. There are holes carved in the eyes, mouth and nostrils. The back of the mask is dark brown wood stamped with the maker’s mark. Part b is a dark blue fabric bag for part a, decorated with a floral pattern in gold. The inside of the bag is white fabric, written on with black ink Japanese characters. The bag closes with white cloth ties.


  • Type of Item mask
  • Culture Japanese
  • Material wood, paint, silk fibre
  • Measurements height 12.0 cm, width 17.0 cm, depth 25.0 cm (part a) height 5.5 cm, width 25.0 cm, depth 30.0 cm (part b)

  • Previous Owner U.B.C. Centre for Japanese Research
  • Received from U.B.C. Centre for Japanese Research

  • Made in Japan

  • Ownership Date before October 1, 2015
  • Acquisition Date on October 1, 2015

  • Condition good
  • Accession Number 3139/0023 a-b