神楽面

Notable features of the Shiiba Kagura masks are that the young female masks considered sacred at Tonegawa Shrine are old Noh masks, the young female masks with an ink inscription dated 1632 at Tsugao, and the masks at Kiura. The fact that there are creative masks with a rich local colour that represent divine spirits, such as the young female masks of the Makitake Daimyojin, and that masks of the demon mask type account for more than half of the total, and that the kagura masks here were produced in the early to mid modern period (17th to 1st century), suggests that the kagura masks here were produced in the early to mid modern period. The fact that there is a significant number of pieces dating from the 8th century, and that many of them are beautiful in shape and colouring. This is valuable when considering the history of kagura masks. The variety and quantity of kagura masks is also rare compared to other kagura masks in Japan, and is considered to be of high value. The above-mentioned notable points are characteristic of the Shiiba kagura masks and at the same time indicate their high value.