Kissing the Mask: Beauty, Understatement and Femininity in Japanese Noh Theater, with Some Thoughts on Muses (Especially Helga Testorf), Transgender Women, ... Geishas, Valkyries and Venus Figurines

ILLUSTRATIONS

The images were not available for the electronic edition.

[Part title.] Geisha at her makeup table, 2008. Detail.

[Frontis 1.^*] The maiko Konomi-san, Gion quarter, Kyoto, 2006.

[Frontis 2.] The geisha Suzuka-san, Higashi quarter, Kanazawa, 2008. (For pictures of the process by which she took on this appearance, see the part title and pages 217-21.)

[Full title underlay.] Paints and palates for Noh masks. Atelier of the renowned Noh mask carver Ms. Nakamura Mitsue. Kyoto, 2004.

5 Detail of ko-omote on page 81.

7 Sketchmap of frequently mentioned Japanese places.

13 Mr. Umewaka Rokuro prepares to perform the role of Shuntoku-maru, in the mirror room of Yasukuni Shrine, Tokyo, 2002. Here the fit of his kimonos is being adjusted.

14 He is now masked (eponymously, in a Shuntoku-maru). The wig is made just so.

15 Shortly before going onstage, Mr. Umewaka contemplates his image in the mirror.

24 The “new-half” Miss Tosaka. Kabukicho, Tokyo, 2002.

32 The acclaimed mask carver Mr. Otsuka Ryoji with one of his kyogen masks. As you can see, these can be much more whimsical than Noh masks. Mr. Otsuka is particularly well known for such fantasies in wood, many of which are original to him. My photographs of him were taken in his atelier in Shimada Prefecture, 2002.

35 Waka-onna and ko-omote, Umewaka family collection, Tokyo, 2002. The man in the background is one of Mr. Umewaka’s apprentices.

41 Mr. Umewaka at home. Tokyo, 2002.

48 Sketch of an audience at a Noh performance, probably in Osaka, 2004. In the left one can see the bridge and the rainbow curtain.

53 Noh performance, viewing the center front stage. The shite is in the foreground at stage right; the chorus in the background at stage left; and to their right, in front of the pine tree “mirror board,” are the flutist (stage left), then the two drummers (kotsuzumi and okawa drums). To their right, part of the bridge can be seen.

55 The okawa drummer in a performance of “Semimaru.” This large hourglass drum is also called an otsuzumi.

58 A “Noh robot” in the midst of its mechanical performance as the shite of an abridged “Izutsu.” Noh Museum, Sado Island, 2008.

60 Mr. Mikata Shizuka performs part of the “Yoroboshi” Noh dance for me in his teaching studio in Kyoto, 2004. In a modern-day performance the actor would actually be wearing a specific “Yoroboshi” mask.

71 Diagram of female mask hairstyles, after Nakanashi and Komma. Faces are generalized and do not indicate any particular mask type. Only the most conventionally alluring masks are represented.

77 Unfinished zo-onna mask and its pattern paper. Ms. Nakamura’s atelier, 2004

78 Another of Ms. Nakamura’s unfinished masks, a magojiro, 2004.

79 Ms. Nakamura with a pair of masks, 2004.

80 Mr. Umewaka’s apprentice with a ko-omote mask. I have been asked to note here that this scene was posed with the dark cloth at my request for illustrative purposes only, and does not represent any approved Noh gesture or movement. Photographed in Mr. Umewaka’s studio in Tokyo, 2002.

81 The apprentice holds the mask to his face. (The same caveat applies.)

82 Detail of ko-omote on page 80.

83 Ms. Nakamura by her wall of masks. Kyoto, 2004.

99 Geisha festival dance, Ponto-cho. Kyoto, 2005.

104 Mr. Mikata in the mirror room of Junenji Temple, placing to his face the ko-omote he used in this place on the previous evening to perform “Michimori.” Kyoto, 2006.

114 The late Mr. Kanze Hideo, during an interview on the day after a Takigi-Noh performance. Kyoto, 2005.

119 Comparison-sketch of facial proportions: Ms. Aya Kudo, S & M porn model, vs. a zo-onna carved by Ms. Nakamura Mitsue.

122 Sketch-diagram of the five main gender-specific measurements, simplified from a diagram in Heath, who (sourcing J-M. Fellous) actually shows us twenty-four indicators of “gender discrimination and prediction of the basis of facial metric information,” but he singles out the most important five to be “substituted into the following masculinity index equation.”

125 [Ms. Nakamura’s sketch.] Comparison of facial proportions: Generalized Utamaro bijin-ga face vs. generalized Noh mask.

129 Vulva, eastern California, 2008.

144 “Kiss me, won’t you?” Tokyo, ca. 2004.

179 The geisha Masami-san bangs the drum. Kanazawa, 2008.

181 Tortoise-shell hair ornament for sale at the inconspicuous little shop in Kyoto patronized by the Gion geishas mentioned in this book. It was shockingly expensive; few non-geishas could have afforded it. Hence in the text I have taken the minor speculative liberty of captioning this object “geisha hair ornament.” The same goes for the caption to page 189 (below, this page).

188 Facsimile of the lyrics to “Black Hair,” written out for me by the ochaya-san, Ms. Imamura, in calligraphy of refined elegance, 2006. The words were so archaic that my interpreter, a highly educated woman of late middle age, had recourse to her mother for help.

189 More geisha hair ornaments.

194 The renowned geiko Kofumi-san. Gion, Kyoto, 2006.

195 The maiko Konomi-san. Kofumi-san is her teacher. Gion, 2006.

196 Two instants of Kofumi-san’s dance. On this occasion (Gion, 2004) she was not wearing her wig and oshiroi makeup.

197 Konomi-san dances “Fan to You.” At lower left in the first photograph we can see Danyu-san playing the shamisen. Gion, 2006.

198 Another instant of Kofumi-san’s performance of “Black Hair,” and of Konomi-san’s of “Fan to You.” In both photographs Danyu-san plays the shamisen on the left.

200 Sketch of Gion Shrine, also called Yasaka Shrine. Kyoto, 2006.

203 Masami-san bows after she has danced for me. Higashi, Kanazawa, 2008.

207 Mannequin legs displaying panty hose. Bogotá, Colombia, 1999.

210 Mannequin. Mexicali, Mexico, 2005.

217 The geisha Suzuka-san begins making up for the evening in tiny dressing room of her ochaya in Kanazawa’s Higasha pleasure district. All photos of her were taken in 2008.

218 Now she has applied her white oshiroi and begun touching up her eyes and mouth. The condition under which I was allowed to photograph her was: no representations of her incompletely made-up face could be published. I love this portrait very much and am very grateful to her for relenting.

219 Her makeup is finished. She has changed into her formal kimono. The obi-tier and the ochaya-san now pull her tight.

220 Suzuka-san lowers the heavy custom-made wig onto her head.

221 Now she is ready.

226 My two makeovers by Yukiko. Tokyo, 2008. See also page 239.

231 Sketch of onnagatas. Tokyo, 2008.

232a Facade of Kabuki theater showing actors currently performing. Kanazawa, 2008.

232b Mr. Ichikawa Shunen, onnagata. He is relatively young but already quite well known. Tokyo, 2008.

236 Basic Kabuki makeup for an onnagata.

239 My makeover by the T-girl Katy. Los Angeles, 2008. The immediately following portraits of her are from the same period.

240 Katy at her makeup mirror, in a relatively early stage of transformation.

241 Now she is further along. As I look over these images of that sweet and gentle person, I feel tender toward her. She had a very open smile.

242 Here she is in full femme mode, but on a different occasion (the previous night). It is about midnight and she is standing in front of the bar. As you can see, her makeup, like a Kabuki actor’s, is especially effective in such low-light environments as theater, bar, street.

243 Katy’s housemate, the lovely T-girl Jennifer.

252 Cross-dresser’s prosthetic vulva. This is a basic model; another version can menstruate.

253 Rock garden at the Koyoma-In subordinate temple of Tofuku-ji, 2006.

254 Gravel pattern at the Reiun-In subordinate temple of Tofuku-ji. Kyoto, 2006. See also sketch on page 335.

268 The loveliness of whiteness: Geisha at tea ceremony. Ponto-cho, Kyoto, 2005.

289 The Ishakawon Gate. Kanazawa, 2008.

295 Sketch of Noh stage’s bridge, pines and rainbow curtain.

303 Sketch of shite and musicians performing in “Aoi-no-Ue.” Nara, 2004.

308 Mr. Kanze as Komachi.

309 Time and beauty: Uba (old woman mask) and ko-omote. Superficially this uba resembles the blind warrior mask of Kagekiyo, and apes such as the author have been fooled. But, as Ms. Nakamura reminds me: “A mask that has its hair separated at the center is female.” Photographed in Mr. Umewaka’s studio in Tokyo, 2002. Please note the caveat to the illustration on page 80.

315 Sketch of a gate at the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, ca. 2005.

327 Sketch of the front righthand corner (as the audience sees it) of a Noh stage, with stairs and surrounding white gravel.

329 Hinges on gate at the Shoren-In. Kyoto, 2005.

333 Sketch of sand-patterns and lantern, rock garden at the Reiun-In subordinate temple of Tofuku-ji. Kyoto, 2006.

335 Sketch of the rock garden at the Reiun-In, framed by a doorway. Kyoto, 2006.

346 Astumori’s stupa. Suma, 2006.

348 Pine tree at Matsukaze-do, Suma, 2006.

359 Sketch of Semimaru’s shrine in Otsu, Lake Biwa, 2006.

360-ff Selections from some sketches of a performance of “Semimaru” at the National Noh Theater in Tokyo, ca. 2008. The shite, the madwoman Sakagami, was played by Mr. Kanze Kiyokazu. This first drawing shows Semimaru being carried in his palanquin to the wilderness, where he will be abandoned.

361 Sakagami with her madness-signifying branch.

364 Sakagami and Semimaru (who is wearing the tall hat, sitting at her left). In this quick drawing the stage pillar, chorus and musicians can also be seen.

365 The Osaka Noh theater after a performance, 2004.

391 Four instants in Masami-san’s dance. Higashi, Kanazawa, 2008.

394 Congolese beauty I. Near the Congo River, 2001.

395 American beauty I (the rock star Paula Keyth). Portland, Oregon, 1995.

396 American beauty II (G-girl). Eastern California, 2008.

397 Thai beauty. Bangkok, 2001.

398 Kazakh beauty. Her face always reminds me of a lovely Noh mask. Altamy, 2000.

399 Congolese beauty II. Goma, 2001.

400 Iraqi beauty. Baghdad, 1998.

401 Japanese beauty. Tokyo, 1998.

402 Waka-onna mask belonging to the Umewaka family. Tokyo, 2002. Ms. Nakamura notes that this mask would be used specifically for “Michimori.”