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MASKS OF NOH-PERFORMANCES

THE APPARITION OF HERUKA

[ No.005]

The ancient god from the deep mountains.
( "HERUKA"means a secret Buddha mostly with wrath. -Sanskrit)

Om sumbha nisumbha, hum vajra hum phat.

(The mantra of "Trailokya-vijaya")

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Flash-Movie (Japanese-Edit.)

KAYOI-KOMACHI

[ No.010]

In the suburb of Kyoto, a couple-ghosts appears in front of the monk. The lady-ghost is the legendary beauty "ONONO-KOMACHI ", the other is the noble youth "HUKAKUSA " which was deep lovesick for her and died. He complains his anguish to her...

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IZUTSU "THE WELL "

written by ZEAMI

[ No.006]

In the autumn evening, a monk visits the temple-ruin. From the twilight-zone, a beautiful girl appears suddenly. This mysterious girl talks about the love-story between the legendary noble youth "NARIHIRA " and one pretty girl. The monk thinks about her mysterious aura, then asks

"Would you tell me your name?".

So she answers "The girl is me.. ..", then disappears into the shade of "the well". ..

In the midnight, in the dream of the monk, she appears to dress up with the costume of NARIHIRA. Under the clear Moon light, she dances elegantly and calmly, and sing about her love-memory that the couple spent the time together arround this "well" with some pampas grasses. She looks into "the well", it is the figure of NARIHIRA ,not her...

By the pray of the monk, the beautiful ghost has accomplished the conjunction with her lover, then fades away into the dawn...

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LAIDEN

[ No.011]

In the middle of the Heian period, the revengeful ghost appears in the temple on "the Mount-Hiei". He was the former minister "MICHIZANE " which was relegated by the plot of his political enemies and died at the distant place.

To the high priest, he requests to stop the sooth-Homa-pray against him, but the priest rejects. Suddenly, he flies into a fury to belch out blaze from his mouth. The priest folds a "mudra" and chants the tantra-mantra "VAM", then the blaze is put out and the ghost vanishes. ..

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KIYOTSUNE written by ZEAMI

[No.007]

In the tale of Heike, The high-class warrior "KIYOTSAUNE " is defeated in the battle, then kills himself after playing a flute. In his residence of Kyoto, his wife waits for him to return. In front of her, he appears as a ghost. She grieves to cry, then asks him "Why did you kill yourself to leave me?..."

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USOBUKI

(The Mask of Kyogen)

[ No.012]

This mask is performed as the roles of some comedic goblin from nature, for example, plants or animals. ..sometimes comedic deities...

BUAKU

(The Mask of KYOGEN)

[ No.008]

"Kyogen" is like comedy. (Sample work "YAO"). Nowadays, "Hell" falls into a "depression", because everyone believes in Buddhism, then goes to "Heaven" after death. So one goblin comes to this world to "solict".

There one new dead person comes near him. The goblin solicts, so the dead person offers a letter from "Ksitigarbha (ZIZO)" which is a friend of the King of Hell "Yama".

The contents; "Please guide him to Heaven. If you don't, I will break the big pot in Hell. .."

ADACHI-GA-HARA

( KUROZUKA )

[ No.013]

Late in autumn, on the wild plain, a team of mountain-priests stays at a house of a poor woman. She says that it is cold,so she goes out to gather some firewoods.

One attendant peeps her bedroom. There are a lot of dead bodies. She is a Dakini (witch,ogre). The team escapes from the house,but the Dakini chases them. The priests pray to chant "mantra". ..

THE BATTLE OF ANCIENT IZUMO

[No.009]

The night battle of the deities, between Jomon and Yayoi. Hide in the darkness of the forests, here come the enemies. Because of the band of Yakumo, we are ever-changing, hiding like wind, running through like streaming water. ..

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An Essey about "Shira-byoshi-Girl"
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