demon masks
Masks for Noh theater, as well as temple rituals and street festivals - 鬼面 “Onii-men”
1. 大鬼神 – daikijin - “Great demon gods”, they are also “Zenkishin” 善鬼神 (“Good demons” in their relativity).
They represent one of the 8 demon gods of Shugendo (Buddhism + Shintoism + Taoism - the main religion of Japan), capable of changing their appearance (like all “they”), while the entities of heaven and earth are hostile to each other - 4 to 4 or 5 to 3rd These are devas, nagas, asuras, ohas, garudas, gandharvas, kinnaras and mahoragas, specifically in the person of:
1) 梵天, 弁才天 – Bonten, Benten. Benten is equal to the Indian/Buddhist Saraswati - the goddess of highest wisdom, also one of the 7 gods of happiness (patronizes music), at the same time, is associated with the Shinto goddess of death - Izanami, who, having been kind and good during life, died and became terrible and vindictive. In the angry aspect, she is depicted with eight arms, with her head entwined in a white snake, which brings her closer to the image of a spider-snake (i.e., the image closest to the earth).
It is no coincidence that her peaceful appearance with a lute/biwa can often be found on the backs of the Yakuza, as well as the Hannya mask 般若. Because, Saraswati is again a hypostasis of Prajna-devi (Hannya) - the mother of everything - both heavenly and earthly, a two-faced goddess - yin-yang (as well as the good and evil hypostases of Shakti). Although Buddhists will swear that this is the enlightened wisdom of the Buddha, they cannot answer why Hannya is a demon. 
2) 竜王 - Ryuuou. "Dragon King" is Nag(a/a), associated in Shinto with Yamata Orochi, in the form of a snake with a human torso and a human head, covered on top with a fan of snake heads, living in caves and ponds, on land, in water or under earth, representing the “wisdom of the earth.” This is also a female form - a Shinja mask, or Jia or Maija 舞蛇 (Dancing Snake) with protruding fangs and no ears: 
3) 夜叉 - Yasha. He is also the Indian Yaksha, he can be a harmless forest demon/spirit - “Lord of the Forest”, or he can be a cannibal vampire bearing divine punishment. The mask in ancient images is closer to the Shinja with protruding fangs and horns: 
In later variations, it is close to a dog's face: 
4) 乾闥婆 – Kendatsuba. Gandharvas. This is a whole class of male half-devas, half-animals at the same time, serving to carry out the whims and orders of the devas, on which their earthly or heavenly disposition depends. In the first case - enemies-tempters of people who have taken the path of “enlightenment”. These are both air spirits and spirits of forests and waters.
5) 阿修羅 – Ashura (Asyura) – Asuras. Demons of anger, rage and madness. “Proud of their power and wisdom, the asuras became filled with evil and were thrown out of heaven by the gods” (this is akin to Susanoo’s divorce from Amaterasu).
6) 迦楼羅 – Karura. Those. Garuda is the “all-consuming sun”, the riding bird of Vishnu (the deva of the heavenly warehouse) – the enemy of the Asuras, and is the enemy of the wisdom of the Nagas, while being called the “enlightened mind” (namely enlightened), i.e. incinerating the unbelievers and those who do not bow to God. The patroness of Buddhism, which displaces Shintoism and all sorts of demons that are contrary to Buddha. True heavenly evil, in short x)
7) 緊那羅 - Kinnara. Kimnara, Kimpurusha - birds and lions with a human face or the whole body. Heavenly servants of Buddha.
8) 摩-羅伽 – Magoraka, Makoraka. Mahoragas, creatures related to nagas, i.e. cobra snakes capable of appearing human, but in the service of Vishnu/Buddha.
The last 5 do not have their own mask, and use the common scary “Daikijin” mask: 
2. 紅葉鬼 - MOMIJI-ONI - “Demon of Maple Leaves.”
A certain demon of beautiful red maple leaves. There are people who are afraid of sakura, and there are maple leaves, and this is what this fear is. It was once believed that a terrible cannibal lived in maples, thanks to which the leaves acquired their bloody color.
Tanka Takayama Kaoru 高山薫:
鬼怒川の Kinugawa no
川面に写る Kawamo ni utsuru
山々の Yama-yama no
色深みゆく Irofukami yuku
峯の紅葉葉 Mine no momijiba.
"Along the river of demonic anger,
Mountains of maple leaves are floating,
Sprinkling the reflections in it with its own color" 
3. ナマハゲ NAMAHAGE - “Demon of Harsh Life.” New Year's demon-auditor. A cannibal from the mountains with sawed-off fangs and horns. This is akin to buffoons, a couple of mummers in Namahage, walking through the streets and shouting “Down with the lazy ones!”, breaking into houses and demanding food and drink, while scaring children and girls. The owner must feed them to prove that he lived all year, working diligently and not being lazy. The demons calmed by this leave until next year. This ritual is considered a guarantee of health and prosperity for the new year. 
4. 鬼太鼓面 ONDEKO-MAN – “Drum Demon”. On the drum and costume of the blonde demon (or demoness, the mask has horns) there is a symbol of 3 commas - “heaven-earth-man”, or maintaining the yin-yang equality. The "demon" dances a demonic dance to the sound of a demonic drum, periodically hitting the drum. In theory, this is a ritual dance, akin to a shaman’s, designed to promote the fertility of the earth, i.e. abundant harvest and prosperity. 
5. 鬼怒面 KIDO-MAN – “Demon of Wrath.” I didn’t find any information about him, except for the mask itself, akin to Kurohige and Akudjou. Bald brunette bearded man without horns: 
6. 緑鬼面 RYOKUKI-MAN, 鬼面盃 KIMENSAZUKI - “green demon” or “demon of dishes”. The mask has 2 fangs and a compressed mouth. The ancient legend is unknown, but now it is believed that the image of this face under the bottom of the plate and a happy face at the bottom brings good luck, it’s like “There is happiness from the hands of demons.” Or: 「手の内に福を収めて、鬼は外」 (Te no uchi ni fuku o osamete, oni wa soto) - “Demon outside - luck in the hands.” Sometimes they eat from it all year, and on February 3, the day of cleansing from demonic evil in oneself and around, it is broken. In this case, the dishes should ideally be green (but this is not always observed), which itself is a guarantee of well-being: 
7. 酒呑童子 SHUTEN-DOUJI - “Drinking boy.” Appeared somewhere in 794. His story is complicated, some researchers believe he is the son of Susanoo from the girl he saved from Yamata Orochi. Susanoo built them a house on the outskirts of Izumo - the entrance to the land of the dead of his mother Izanami, but he himself went on further campaigns, and from birth his son began to drink sake, drank in liters, and at the same time he was terribly strong and wise. The mother retreated somewhere. By the way, it is curious that the Serpent Yamata Orochi was drunk with sake, so who was the son born into...? x) In general, Yamata Orochi is a hypostasis of Susanoo, in fact, but the Japanese themselves do not know the truth of this allegory. In general, by the age of 3 the boy had already become a wonderful young man and a ladies' man, all the local girls hung themselves for him. The monks began to be embarrassed by his behavior and dubbed him a demon, apparently of debauchery.
According to another version, he was the son of Yamata Orochi and some girl, he was distinguished by super strength, he robbed cities until he was killed by Minamoto Yorimitsu from the heavenly forces of Amaterasu.
According to the third, neither one nor the other, but simply the son of a blacksmith, whose parents sent him to a monastery as unnecessary in the province of Echigo - the homeland of Uesugi Kenshin. There are many more versions, but there is little meaning in them, it is only known that he served as a prototype for the mass of legendary strongmen from birth and despised demon children. He is also Shoujou - the red-haired sake demon: 
But mostly portrayed as all "them", with closeness to the Shinja - 
8. 虎熊童子 TORA-KUMA-DOUJI - “Tiger-Bear Boy”, 熊童子 KUMA-DOUJI – “Bear Boy”, 金熊童子 KANE-KUMA-DOUJI – “Golden Bear Boy” (hence Kintaro ), 大毛童子 DAIMO-DOUJI “Strong-haired boy,” - go back to the previous one, strong children. Or Susanoo probably had more than one son, and they are all considered born demons.
9. 青鬼 AO-ONI and 赤鬼 AKA-ONI (Shakki) – Blue and red demons.
Brothers, almost twins. A collective image from the previous ones, in the 20th century they were popularized by certain writers-brothers-cartoonists, known under the same names: Yamane Aoooni and Yamane Akaoni (1934). Having become unique symbols of Japan, they can be buffoons, they can be mischievous, they can be crybabies due to the fact that people don’t want to play with them and they have to live in the mountains. 
And sometimes “they” look like this x): 
(By the way, it was from this sledgehammer that the gangster idea of driving nails into a bat developed.
And male femininity, widespread since ancient times, began with the fact that all horned “they” come from the female sex. Warriors deliberately approached the erasure of the edges of sex in order to achieve higher wisdom and strength. Hence all these fans, umbrellas, pipes, long hair, chic kimonos, manners, etc., which can be seen both in theater performances and in any at least somewhat historical anime)
Also, Red and Blue demons are used in Buddhist and Shinto rites of exorcism, masks close to Shinja: 
10. KOKKI (KURO-ONI) 黒鬼 – “Black Demon”, sometimes the 3rd to the previous 2. With a small hammer, some say, he uses it to knock the stupidity out of people's heads x) 
According to another version, the demon of battles, in samurai armor, holds a sword and rope - he lassoes it to hell. Sometimes paired with a shakki (red demon) they dance the dance of mortal combat: 
11. 生成 NAMANARI - “Reborn”. This is a state that precedes the formation of Hannya or Shinja; the mask grows fangs and horns. This is the ghost of an unfortunate woman who died or committed suicide. Feeling unavenged, she does not rest in peace, but from yurei turns into a great demoness of Yin nature, and punishes the guilty, then the innocent, until someone calms her down. 
12. 山姥 YAMANBA – “Mountain Witch”. Known since the Heian era. Another incarnation of a wild woman, akin to our Baba Yaga, who went to live as a hermit in a hut in the forest mountains. It eats lost travelers, whom it lures by turning into a beauty. Sometimes, calling himself a guide, he leads them into steep rocks and pushes them into the abyss. Capable of turning her hair into poisonous snakes that sting the victim. Stealing children, in general, since ancient times, all human disappearances have been blamed on her. There are cases when a witch shares her secret knowledge with any person if he delivers another person to her to be devoured, or is capable of some other exchange. In other myths, she is simply an eternally lonely hermit living in harmony with nature.
In one of the dramas of the Noh theater, its founder Zeami Motokiyo, presented Yamanba as a nanny who raised the great hero (which is tantamount to the demon of war) - Sakata-no-Kietaki (aka the prototype of Sakata Gintoki from Gintama), and his prototype is also Kintaro, also Shuten Douji, i.e. child of Susanoo or Yamata Orochi. 
13. 黒髭 KUROHIGE - “Blackbeard.” Something like our Chernomor. The hermit sorcerer or demon god of the earth also has connections with snakes, the mask has no ears. Could be a dragon living in the sea. He is sometimes called the patron god of Noh theater itself.
14 鬼武悪 ONI-BUAKU - “Demon of the Evil Warrior.”
Goes back to the evil old man Akudjou, his next stage of transition from the ghost of an evil male warrior into a demon who haunts his sons after the death so that they avenge him, like the shadow of Hamlet's father. 
15. 烏天狗 KARASU-TENGU – “Tengu-raven” - the patron of dark ninjas. 
Instructions
Japanese tattoos have a long and rich history. The first evidence of Japanese tattoos can be seen in 5,000-year-old figurines found in tombs. Additionally, texts dating back to the 3rd century AD say that Japanese men adorned their faces and bodies with mi. Centuries later, largely due to the powerful cultural influence of China, tattoos became taboo and were used mainly for criminals. An integral part of the traditional Japanese tattoo was a complex system of symbols that was used to reveal a person's character. It was believed that a tattoo could even change him.
Sakura is a symbol of perseverance. Beauty lies in the strength it has to survive the harshest conditions. Blooming means the cycle of human life: birth, flowering, death. The Japanese see this as a direct representation of what life should be like. They believe that each day should be lived to the fullest, and that the awareness of death should only make us stronger.
Brightly colored carp have a special symbolism in Japanese culture, and their image can even be seen in many temples. The myth says that if a carp can swim upstream to the gates of heaven, it will turn into a. The image of a carp symbolizes luck, strength, ambition and individuality. Therefore, if you are looking for a tattoo that symbolizes struggle and perseverance, then the Koi carp is an ideal choice.
The mythical dragon is something that Japan is commonly associated with. Dragons occupy an important place in Japanese culture. A dragon tattoo has many meanings such as freedom, courage, wisdom, power, strength and even supernatural abilities. The colors used in the image of the dragon are of great importance, so you need to choose them very carefully.
Modern young Japanese, apparently under the influence of Western European tradition, often prefer tattoos of a somewhat negative and provocative nature. But if in the subcultures of Western youth there is an element of Satanism and necromancy in its Christian meaning, then the Japanese adhere to their traditional beliefs in demonic creatures, which are widely represented in Buddhism, Shinto and in folk tales and superstitions.
They- in Japanese mythology, this is the name for evil humanoid monsters similar to Christian devils and demons. They have red, blue, green or black skin, are crowned with horns, and huge fangs protrude from their mouths. They feed on human flesh and are difficult to kill in battle because severed body parts grow back into place.
There is a belief that a bad person can turn into a demon - They. Especially often in fairy tales, jealous and grumpy wives with horns growing on their heads turn into such monsters.
In Japan, on February 3, a ceremony to exorcise demons is held - They to Jigoku (to Hell). On the Setsubun holiday, the Japanese throw soybeans over the threshold of their houses (it is believed that They hate soy) and shout: “ They leaving! Blessings are coming! They symbolize illnesses and failures that should be gotten rid of. Actors wearing scary demon masks take part in the festive festivities - They. In theatrical productions They are defeated by heroes, or, like servants of the god of death, drag sinners to hell.
If we talk about tattoos, then here They have a protective function. In some legends, these demons serve as protectors of worthy people and punish bad ones. So, for example, if we talk about the yakuza, such tattoos are made by those who kill people the yakuza dislikes, or are engaged in collecting debts.
Radzin - god of thunder
There are many types of demons in Japanese folklore, and sometimes it is quite difficult to tell which demon a particular tattoo represents. However, some are identifiable.
Radzin- god of thunder. Very often mentioned with the wind god Fujin. Depicted as a ferocious horned demon, often tearing a scroll with its teeth. However, he is a positive deity, the protector of the Buddhist faith.
Ondeko-man
Ondeko-man. He is also called Oni-daiko ("demon dancing to the drum"). He is depicted dancing a demonic dance while accompanying himself on drums. You can recognize this demon by its round mons (signs) with the image of three commas, symbolizing “heaven - earth - man” or maintaining the equality of yin and yang. Dancers-drummers in costumes and masks depicting this demon often perform at various Japanese festivals. The ritual dance is intended to promote soil fertility, harvests and prosperity. There appears to be a connection between this demon and Radzin, and Ondeko-men may be one of the forms of this thunder deity.
Meaning of the Chania Mask tattoo
Hanya or Hannya is an ugly horned and fanged demon in Japanese folklore, into which a vengeful and jealous woman has turned. This character is used in some Japanese Noh plays. The Hanya mask is also used in festivals and Shinto rituals, symbolizing vice. Very often depicted on tattoos, but clearly not in a negative way. There is a version that the image of this demon was borrowed from Tibetan culture, where the origins of many Japanese mythological creatures come from. In Tibet, it was the guardian of Buddhism, and “hannya” means the same thing as “prana” - “wisdom”. Often, cherry blossoms, a snake and a bell are depicted along with the Chanya mask.
Japanese demon Yaksha
In these tattoos, Yakshas are shown as bloodthirsty spirits carrying severed heads. Yaksha - this demon was borrowed by the Japanese from Hindu mythology. There they were beautiful semi-divine creatures, born from the feet of Brahma along with demons - rickshasas, but, unlike the first, they were servants of the gods. However, they were often dangerous for people. Yakshini, the female variety of Yaksha, drank the blood of children and ate human flesh. Among the Japanese, the yaksha became a vampire - a cannibal into whom people who deserve the punishment of the gods turn. On the other hand, a yaksha can be a harmless “goblin” - “Master of the Forest.”
Rokurokubi
Rokurokubi Demon Tattoo Japanese fox demons - Kitsune
Kitsune. The image of a fox-werewolf penetrated into Japanese folklore from China, where it developed in ancient times. In China, these creatures are called huli-jing, and in Korea - kumiho. In Japanese folklore, a kitsune is a type of yokai (demonic creature). Kitsune are intelligent and knowledgeable, and can live for a very long time. The tail of this werewolf is a necessary attribute for creating illusions, and the older and stronger the fox, the more tails it has. Their number can reach up to nine.
According to legends, these animals have magical powers and are able to transform into humans - they usually take the form of seductive beauties, but can take the form of old people. They most often use these abilities to deceive people, and like vampires, they feed on human vitality and spiritual force. They are also capable of inhabiting other people's bodies and creating illusions that are indistinguishable from reality. However, kitsune often do good deeds, and, unlike Chinese and Korean traditions, they are not evil demons - cannibals.
In the Shinto religion, kitsune are messengers of the god of rice fields and entrepreneurship, Inari, who himself is depicted as a fox. When Shinto mythology was mixed with Buddhism, the fox received, in accordance with Chinese ideas, demonic functions, but in general, in the Buddhist tradition, the werewolf fox has a positive function, as an attribute of the god Dakini.
In tattoos it can mean dexterity, mental acuity, the ability to find a way out in seemingly hopeless situations. In addition, a tattoo makes it possible to charm people and inspire love, just like the kitsune does in fairy tales.
In the photograph, the kitsune is shown in the guise of an evil demon - a cannibal, which is more consistent with the Korean tradition. However, here he acts as a Buddhist guardian, and holds in his teeth a rosary with the skulls of apostates, so the tattoo should not be considered as an indication of the aggressiveness of its owner - it is more an indication of the strength of religious beliefs and a request to protect from troubles and enemies .
Bakeneko - “monster cat”
Japanese Bakeneko Tattoo
Bakeneko (Japanese: “monster cat”).
In addition to kitsune (fox-werewolves) and tanuki (werewolves in the form of raccoon dogs), in Japanese folklore there is another type of werewolf - cats that can turn into people. An ordinary cat needed to reach a certain age or size to turn into a werewolf. The strongest bekeneko have a forked tail and are called nekomata. Like other representatives of evil spirits, there is an ambivalent attitude towards werewolf cats in Japan. On the one hand, they could help people with their magic, as stated in many Japanese fairy tales and legends, but on the other hand, there are examples when this image was associated with revenge and death. According to Japanese folk beliefs, a cat can kill its owner in order to take on his appearance, or move into the body of a deceased person (the Japanese still try to prevent cats from visiting the dead). They can revive the dead by jumping over them, or raise skeletons and manipulate them like puppets. Cats can take revenge on their offenders. The Kabuki theater has a number of plays that feature werewolves - cats that have turned into people, usually women. They either take revenge on those who offended them, or the werewolves are possessed by the souls of the wives killed by their husbands. But in general, the attitude towards cats in Japan is positive, and they like to be depicted in scenes where they copy the behavior of people, and even in the form of monks.
Tengu. Karasu - tengu and Yamabushi - tengu.
Karasu tengu are similar to raven birds. These are evil creatures that kidnap children and adults, set fires in houses, and kill those who deliberately harm the forest. In the traditional Japanese religion of Shinto, there are many deities - kami, among which six are awarded the title "Okami" ("Great Kami"). Five of them Izanagi, Izanami, Mitikaeshi, Sashikuni and the sun goddess Amaterasu are “amatsukami” (heavenly kami), and Sarutahiko is the guardian of roads, the spirit of crossroads and the remover of obstacles - “kunitsukami” (earthly deity). He is depicted as an old man with a red face and a very long nose. It is believed that the image of Sarutahiko-no-Okami served as a prototype for demonic creatures - tengu (literally “Heavenly Dog” in Japanese).
The Japanese believed in the existence of two varieties of tengu: karasu-tengu (crow tengu) and yamabushi-tengu.
Yamabushi - tengu - is a creature more similar to a person. The Yamabushi Tengu is a creature more like a human. He has a red face and a very long nose, and sometimes wears wings on his back. He was nicknamed yamabushi (the so-called monks - hermits who chose mountains for their solitude) because this tengu loves to turn into such monks. Like goblins, they can make fun of a person who meets them, and can even kill someone who harms the forest. However, in fairy tales they often help good people.
Tengu masks Tengu are depicted wearing strange little hats called “tokin” and having a fan of feathers or leaves that can cause strong winds.
Tengu masks are very popular in Japan, used in various festivals and in Kabuki theater performances.
In tattoos, Japanese theatrical masks are additional elements indicating the character of a person, or serve as a replacement for the full image of the creature whose patronage is expected to be received.
Kama-itachi
Japanese Kama Itachi Tattoo
Kama-itachi refers to the demonic yokai of Japanese folklore. In ancient times, the Japanese had a belief about malicious whirlwinds - kamaetachi (“attack”). Toriyama Sekien, an artist who studied Japanese demonology, who left images and descriptions of demons - youkai, gave this supernatural phenomenon the appearance of three weasels with claws - razors, which, whirling in a whirlwind, cut the skin on the legs of people they meet along the way. He changed the original sound of the word to “kama-itachi” (“sickle of weasel”) - creating a pun that is very typical of him. These creatures are depicted as a spinning weasel whose legs end in sickle-shaped blades.
Nure-onna – “Water Woman”
Japanese Nure-onna Tattoo
Nure-onna (“Water or Wet Woman”) is one of the most ancient demons - youkai of Japanese folklore. This is a demon with the head of a woman (often very beautiful) and the body of a giant snake, who lives either near the river or in the river itself. In some legends, she has hands with sharp claws. She has beautiful long hair, which she likes to wash in the river, round shiny eyes like a snake, sharp fangs and a long, strong tongue - a sting with which she sucks blood or life energy from unwary travelers. In order to prevent the intended victim from leaving, the nure-onna resorts to cunning. She invites the person she meets to hold her child while she washes her hair, but as soon as he takes it in his hands, the child sticks to them and bends the person to the ground with its enormous weight. It is difficult to say what tattoos depicting this demon symbolize; perhaps disappointment in love and comparison of women with this insidious creature.
Kappa
Tattoo design and Kappa tattoo If tengu can be considered a kind of goblin, then the Japanese variety of merman is called “kappa” (“river child”). It is a cross between a frog and a turtle, and has a beak instead of a nose. On the top of the kappa's head there is a saucer filled with water, which gives it enormous strength. However, she does not harm humans, although she loves pranks. Sometimes she even helps good heroes in fairy tales and legends.
Jankuy – “Demon Slayer”
Ancient engraving and tattoo with the demon slayer - Dzhankuy Dzhankuy or Soki - “Demon Slayer”. The ghost, according to legend, is the protector of the Chinese Emperor Huan-song. Dzhankuy committed suicide, and therefore he himself became the demon Gui. However, he vowed to help people in the fight against their evil brothers. In Japan, this protective spirit has become very popular, as it fights They. This spirit is always depicted in Chinese clothing and with a sword, with which he defeats evil forces.
Yuki-onna – snow woman
Japanese Yuki-onna Tattoo
Yuki-onna (Japanese: “snow woman”). This is what Japanese folklore calls one of the varieties of yokai - that is, spirits. She can also be called Yuki-musume (“snow girl”), Yukijoro (“snow harlot”), Yuki-omba (“snow grandmother or nanny”) and many other names. Yuki-onna is a very popular figure in Japanese literature, manga and anime.
Yuki-onna appears on snowy nights in the guise of a tall, beautiful woman with long black hair and blue lips. Her inhumanly pale or even icy-transparent skin makes her part of the snowy landscape. She sometimes wears a white kimono, but in other legends she is described as naked. Despite her amazing beauty and grace, her eyes can inspire horror. It seems to float above the snow, leaving no traces behind it, and at any moment it can turn into a cloud of fog or crumble into snowflakes. Some legends say that the souls of those who are frozen in the snow turn into Yuki-onna. For a long time, this spirit was considered an undoubted evil, killing unwary travelers, but over time, Yuki-onna began to be given more humane features. In some works, she even becomes the wife of the person she loves, and only the accidental discovery of her essence forces Yuki-onno to leave her beloved and her children forever, going to the Afterlife.
However, there are other ideas about this ghost. He may appear as an ugly old woman - a witch who freezes travelers, or drains their blood or life force.
A sketch of a tattoo depicting Yuki-onna and a tattoo where Yuki-onna is shown as an ugly old woman - a witch. Hatsuhana - Pious Ghost
Japanese ghost tattoo Hatsuhana
Hatsuhana or Hatsuna is a godly ghost. A character from the Kabuki theater play “The Appearance of a Miracle in the Hakone Mountains, or the Revenge of the Legless One” (“Hakone Reigen Izari no Adauchi”). A scene from the play is shown where the spirit of the villainously murdered woman Hatsuhana, being under the icy streams of a waterfall, prays to Buddha Amid so that he would heal her weak husband, and he could take revenge on her killer. Praying under a waterfall was an ancient Japanese custom that did not change even after the adoption of Buddhism. It was believed that such a prayer has special power - a person proves his determination, self-sacrifice and great faith, and without fear enters the chilling, lashing jets of the waterfall. The image of Hatsuhana is for those who want happiness and prosperity for their loved ones and relatives, and are ready to make any sacrifice for this.
Engraving by Utagawa Kuniyoshi and sketch of Hatsuhana ghost tattoo 4.5 / 5 ( 2 votes)
One of the popular images in Japanese tattooing is the Oni Demon. These ghostly, fearsome creatures are variously described in Eastern mythology and most often represent the guardians of hell and hunters of sinners.
In older tales, there are also good Demon defenders, such as monks who, after death, became Oni to protect the temple.
In tattoos, Oni Demons are almost always depicted with horns, and their faces are often mask-like and usually red or blue-gray in color.
SCULL
In fact, the meaning of the image of the skull in tattoo has more depth than is commonly believed. Most people do not think about the true meaning of the skull and only associate it with a negative point of view.
But the skull is not just danger, fear or death. Initially, the skull symbolized the “great change.” Among different peoples, in burial places you can see the image of one or several skulls.
In ancient society, the skull meant the celebration of death, that is, the transition to a “new life”, showing respect for those who had gone through the greatest change and entered a new period of existence.
The hannya mask is one of many masks used in traditional Japanese Noh theater, which has been famous for its performances since around the 14th century AD.
Hannya MASK
The hannya mask is one of many masks used in traditional Japanese Noh theater, which has been famous for its performances since around the 14th century AD. And masks were used by actors to convey the personality and characters of various characters in Japanese fairy tales.
The hannya mask represents an angry, jealous and vengeful woman who has turned into a demon out of envy and anger. Horns, fangs and sparkling eyes express resentment, hatred and suffering, and scattered hair symbolizes strong emotions.
In a tattoo, the hannya mask is sometimes complemented by masks of other characters, but it can also be a separate piece. Traditionally, the hannya mask is made in red, and the brighter and more aggressive the color used, the stronger the emotions expressed in the tattoo.
A characteristic subject of a Japanese tattoo is Namakubi, a severed or pierced head with a sword with an evil expression on its face.
Namakubi (severed head)
A characteristic subject of a Japanese tattoo is Namakubi, a severed or pierced head with a sword with an evil expression on its face. Namakubi can symbolize courage, respect for the enemy, and the willingness to accept one's fate with honor. Can be used as an element of the circle of life or to show others the punishment for living unrighteously.
