Featuring breathtaking photographs of masks created by a renowned twenty-first-century craftsman, this book provides a unique perspective into noh and kyogen, two of the oldest surviving forms of theater in the world. Kitazawa Hideta is a traditional Japanese master craftsman, Shinto-temple carver and noh mask maker who creates masks for both classical noh and kyogen theatre. This gorgeous volume features more than sixty of his performance masks, presented in striking full-page photographs that allow readers to appreciate the level of detail that goes into these meticulous creations, which are carved from hinoki wood, decorated with layers of gesso-paint, thin watercolor antiquing, and sometimes include materials such as horsehair and gold paint. Readers are introduced first to classical and then contemporary noh and kyogen masks and are then invited into Hideta's workshop to explore the characteristics of the wood he uses; the processes of creating, restoring, and wearing the masks; and the basic principles of noh and kyogen theater. Reflections from those who have worked with Kitazawa complete this vibrant, immersive journey that celebrates the work of a contemporary artisan who is not only preserving a centuries-old theatrical tradition, but also remaking it for modern audiences.

Jannette Cheong is a poet, playwright, and designer. A former art inspector, she had led education and intercultural collaborations internationally for forty years. A Theatre Nohgaku (TN) affiliated artist, she has written noh (Pagoda, 2009, 2011 and Between the Stones, 2020) in collaboration with the Oshima Noh Theatre and Richard Emmert, using traditional noh techniques, and is the first British person to do so. In 2017, she wrote Opposites-InVerse, blending noh, opera and ballet. She lives in London, England. Richard Emmert is the founder and former artistic director of Theatre Nohgaku, a company dedicated to performing noh in English. He has led performance tours and projects in North America, Europe and Asia and has composed music in noh style for numerous pieces including in French and Spanish. He was awarded the Koizumi Prize in 2019 and is Professor emeritus of Musashino University. He lives in Tokyo, Japan.