Japanese Mask Color Meanings
The mask is used to depict expressions of the face of a jealous and vengeful woman.
Japanese mask color meanings. One belief is that the deeper the color of a hannya mask the angrier or more malicious it s supposed to be. Loosely translated oni means ogre or troll. Red is greed blue is hatred yellow is regret green is disease and black is grumbling. Oni are said to possess extreme strength and are also supposed to be accomplished sorcerers.
Typically red or blue recently these have been depicted in other colors too. Also for any shows in japan like power rangers involving japanese fighters the leader is always depicted in red. A hannya mask with a lighter complexion means that the wearer is not yet a demon. The horns are usually smaller too.
Masks are usually painted red but painted other colors such as blue yellow green or black. Expressions carved on the hannya masks are those of anger and resentment. In fact the color red is also seen in torii gates of shrines. Noh is a type of traditional japanese.
Hannya masks are used in noh theater. On the setsubun holiday dads and moms all over japan put on a oni mask and try to scare the kids. Oni is a demon and their masks are depicted as frightening with long sharp teeth and horns. Each color indicates the calamity people want to overcome.
It is a very popular image in japanese tattoo art today. The kids in turn scare the oni away by throwing beans. A red colored mask is associated with anger of higher intensity. They are usually portrayed as extremely fearsome and jealous characters.
A lighter colored hannya tattoo means that the wearer is still human but is experiencing turmoil beneath the surface.