●Masks In Japan There are a variety of masks in Japan. They include cartoon-character masks you can find in fair stalls, religious masks used in local rituals and masks for classical performances. Though Chinese arts had a great influence on Japanese masks technically, the unique aesthetic sense and religion have created Japanese original masks that have unique and beautiful styles.

●Masks In The World Because the masks are closely related with local cultures and religions, there are various styles of masks made from various materials (e.g. wood, paper, skin of animals, cloth, metal) in the world. Even the size of the holes to see through and the part of a face to cover vary. It is said that the origin of Masques is a large-scale pageant in Greece called “choros” or Indian masques based on Ramayana and Mahabharata (ancient epics).