Foreword from Noh Mask Craftswoman, Mitsue Nakamura
The expression of the Noh mask, the way it looks to us, shows as figurative expression of unemotional mask. However, the distinctive characteristic of Noh world is to express compassion and the intimate aspect of the person rather than story line. In this context, the Noh masks appear in the theatrical shows expressing rich emotions. The Noh masks are formatively designated to express the various emotions of humans (truthfully, the spirits and gods), such as: anger, sorrowfulness, joyfulness, sadness, hatefulness, jealousness, shyness, and a pounding heart the way it felt in first love. In fact, the masks change its expression greatly when there is a slight change on its angles.
The Noh actors, who put on the mask, are always concern on the angles when they wear the mask. In this website, you can actually see the Noh masks changing their facial expressions in various ways. Those changes on facial expressions shown in this website use a series taken photographs and not modified by the computer graphics.
Latest News
The 23nd Shirakawa-kai Noh mask exhibition Mitsue Nakamura Noh mask class
A joint exhibition of works from three classrooms (Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo)
This year, it will be held at the nationally registered cultural property "Shimadai."
We look forward to your visit.
November 22 (Fri.) - 24 (Sun.), 2024
10:00 - 18:00 (until 16:00 on the last day)
Venue: Shimadai, East Wing
North side, Karasuma Higashi-iru, Oike-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
(70m east of Exit 1 at Karasuma-Oike Subway Station)
TEL : 075-221-5007
《 Admission free 》
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The workshop was featured in the Hong Kong Economic Times.
The workshop was featured in a sub-section of the Hong Kong Economic Daily on 3 August 2024. In the article ‘Kyoto's Three Great Summer Experiences: Enjoy the Culture of the Ancient Capital of 1000 Years on a Rickshaw’, the workshop is introduced as one of the three major experiences.
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The workshop was featured in Singapore's “Vogue” magazine.
Our studio was featured in the Singapore edition of the fashion and lifestyle magazine “Vogue”.
The Banyan Tree Higashiyama hotel, designed by Kengo Kuma, has a Noh stage, and we are being introduced as part of this project.
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Mitsue Nakamura was featured in the ZENBI June 2024.
Mitsue Nakamura was featured on page 4 in the "ZENBI June 2024", a magazine published by the All-Japan Federation of Beauty Industry and Health Trade Associations.
She talks about her path to becoming a Noh Mask Craftswoman, her thoughts on Noh mask production, training apprentices and her future prospects.
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Mitsue Nakamura was featured in the April 2024 issue of Halmek.
Mitsue Nakamura was featured in the April 2024 issue of "Halmek," a magazine for women in their 50s and older, on page 6.
The article includes her motivation for starting Noh mask making, her study under a leading Noh mask maker, and her thoughts on Noh mask making.
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On all JAL domestic and international flights, Mitsue Nakamura's productions are used in the in-flight video at the time of disembarkation
The in-flight video that is played when passengers disembark from Japan Airlines (JAL) has been renewed for the first time in 12 years.
Mitsue Nakamura's production scenery is used in the in-flight video.
The film will be broadcast on all domestic and international routes from 24 January 2024, when the Airbus A350-1000 aircraft will be introduced.
The film features people active in various parts of Japan who are responsible for culture and technology, and expresses Japaneseness and JAL's character by placing people, such as delicate skills and gestures, at the core of the programme.
The 22nd Shirakawa-kai Noh mask exhibition Mitsue Nakamura Noh mask class
A joint exhibition of works from three classrooms (Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo)
This year, it will be held at the nationally registered cultural property "Shimadai."
We look forward to your visit.
Special exhibition:
copies of masks from the collection of the Umewaka Minoru (Rokuro) family.
November 24 (Fri.) - 26 (Sun.), 2023
10:00 - 18:00 (until 16:00 on the last day)
Venue: Shimadai, East Wing
North side, Karasuma Higashi-iru, Oike-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
(70m east of Exit 1 at Karasuma-Oike Subway Station)
TEL : 075-221-5007
《 Admission free 》
View in google map
Click to enlarge
Appeared in the TV program "NHK Sarameshi Season 13 (18)" broadcast on September 21, 2023.
I appeared in the TV program "NHK Sarameshi Season 13(18) Why I work in two workplaces, one in the city and the other in my hometown / Noh Mask Craftswoman in Kyoto" broadcast on September 21, 2023.
For more information, please click here.
Noh mask production process was introduced on our YouTube channel.
Mitsue Nakamura's Noh mask production process was introduced on "process X," a YouTube channel that introduces "craftsmanship.
The 4th Mitsuie Nakamura Ichimon Noh mask Exhibition
We are pleased to announce that we will hold a joint exhibition of works by our three schools (Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theater this coming April.
This will be a different exhibition from the one held in Kyoto, which has become a regular event. We hope you will enjoy the exhibition.
《 Admission free 》
[Period]
April 6 (Thu) - 9 (Sun), 2023
10:00 - 18:00 (until 16:00 on the last day)
[Venue]
Tokyo Metropolitan Theater
B1F Atelier East
B1F 1-8-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
[Access]
JR, Tokyo Metro, Tobu Tojo Line, Seibu Ikebukuro Line
2 minutes walk from West Exit of Ikebukuro Station, directly
connected to Exit 2b of the underground passageway
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The 21th Shirakawa-kai Noh Masks Exhibition Mitsue Nakamura Noh Masks Class
A joint exhibition of works from three classrooms (Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo)
It will be held again this year at the nationally registered cultural property "Shimadai."
We look forward to seeing you all.
Special Exhibition : Satsuki Noma
November 25 (Fri.) - 27 (Sun.), 2022
10:00 - 18:00 (until 16:00 on the last day)
Venue: Shimadai, East Wing
North side, Karasuma Higashi-iru, Oike-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
(70m east of Exit 1 at Karasuma-Oike Subway Station)
TEL : 075-221-5007
《 Admission free 》
View in google map
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Mitsue Nakamura and Four Disciples Exhibition
In November 2022, I will hold a big exhibition in Tokyo with four of my disciples, in which more than 140 Noh masks will be exhibited. It will be an exhibition full of enthusiasm and the ingenuity of young people.
Please come and visit us.
《 Admission free 》
[Period]
November 15th (Tue) - 21st (Mon), 2022
10:30-19:00 (until 16:00 on the last day)
[Venue]
Tanaka Yaesu Gallery
03-3271-7026
1-5-15 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
[Access]
3 minute walk from Yaesu North Exit of JR Tokyo Station
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Video showing Mitsue Nakamura Noh Mask Workshop Student Exhibition 2021
Here is a video shown at the Mitsue Nakamura Noh Mask Workshop Student Exhibition 2021.
The 7th "Chokoku Kaji to Takumi-tachi"
We are pleased to announce that we will participate in the exhibition, "Chokoku Kaji to Takumi-tachi" at Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.
The exhibition will feature works by artists who use advanced carving techniques such as Danjiri carving, Kazari Kanzashi, lacquer craft, carving knives, wood carving, Kirigane, Kumagawa carving, etc., as well as genuine carving knives that show the skill of the carving smiths.
Please stop by if you are in the neighborhood.
[Dates]
Saturday, July 6 - Wednesday, July 10, 2019, 10:30 - 19:30
Closes at 17:00 on the last day
[Venue]
〒150-0012
Gallery Hiroo, Hiroo Plaza 2F, 5-6-6 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
1 minute walk from Hiroo Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
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