This papier-mâché mask represents the comical figure Hyottoko. Here, he has a pink face with lines on his forehead, his eyebrows are painted black, and his mouth is puckered. The white circles of the eyeballs are painted around large holes. There is an elastic band around the back of the mask for wearing.
Hyottoko is a figure from Japanese folklore, with unclear origins. In many regions, he is considered the god of fire: his name derives from "hi" (fire) and "otoko" (man). Some regions have alternative conceptions of Hyottoko: in Iwate Prefecture, for example, the character is based on a boy named Hyoutokusu, who had a bizarre face and could create gold out of his belly button. When someone in one's household passed away, the relatives would put the mask of this boy at the top of the fireplace to bring good fortune to the house. Hyottoko is characterized by mismatched eyes and a somewhat lopsided face, and he is often wearing a white scarf with blue polka dots. Hyottoko's female counterpart is Otafuku/Okame (the plain or homely woman).
