Japanese Masks in Traditional Japanese Tattooing (part 2)

Japanese Hyottoko Tattoo by Horiyama - Auckland NZ

Japanese Fox Mask Tattoo by Horiyama - Auckland NZ

Kitsune
In Japanese folklore, kitsune (literally the Japanese word for fox) are foxes that possess paranormal abilities that increase as they get older and wiser. According to yōkai folklore, all foxes have the ability to shape-shift into human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others—as foxes in folklore often do—other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, and lovers. Kitsune masks or fox masks are worn by participants in certain Shinto festivals or by attendees just for fun. Historically, foxes were viewed as magical creatures with the ability to shape-shift. They were also seen as messengers of Inari, the Shinto god of rice, commerce, and prosperity. As a result, they are important figures in some festivals involving this god.

Hyottoko
Hyottoko (火男) is a comical Japanese character, portrayed through the use of a mask. His mouth is puckered and skewed to one side. Some masks have different eye sizes between the left and right eyes. He is often wearing a scarf around his head (usually white with blue dots). The origin of the name comes from "fire" (火, hi) and "man" (男, otoko), because the character is blowing fire with a bamboo pipe, hence the shape of the mouth. Hyottoko is a silly, childlike figure with a comical expression on his face. His mouth is almost always rounded and skewed to one side, as the stories about him usually involve him blowing on a bamboo pipe. In some traditional Japanese dances during festivals, dancers perform the role of the clown while wearing Hyottoko masks.

Okame 
Okame is the face or mask of a woman who has a short nose and swollen round cheeks. It is said that the name was chosen because the shape of her swollen cheeks looked like a vase (kame in Japanese.) Okame is like the female version of Hyottoko, and their masks usually appear together. They can be worn by dancers to perform amusing, silly dance steps. Like her male counterpart, Okame is a positive figure and sometimes thought to bring good luck. She is portrayed as a woman with a large, oval-shaped head and smiling eyes.