Japanese Hannya Mask Tattoos Meaning and Design

Asian artists have always amazed everyone with their stunning art. Tattoos connected to Japanese mythology are the most in-demand and famous tattoo subjects at Primitive Tattoo studio in Perth. These Japanese tattoos are not just beautiful in their looks; they also have a strong history and symbolism. In this article, we have dived deeper into the meaning and design of one of the Japanese styles of tattoo art that is the Hannya Mask, the black and grey traditional tattoos. This Hannya mask is often times mistaken for Kabuki theatre face painting and Oni mask.

Hannya Mask Meaning

The word Hannya in Japanese translates to ‘wisdom’; these Hannya masks are considered a symbol of good luck. Hannya mask depicts female anger and pain. It is also angry, dreadful, demonic, and frightening, along with the emotional image of Hannya depicting being tormented, melancholic, sorrowful, and heartbroken. It totally depends upon the angle the mask is held so that the expressions will look either sad or angry.
The idea of getting a Hannya mask as a black and grey Japanese tattoo is to show the intense set of emotions of a woman when she is being betrayed or harmed. Even though the look of the mask may be dark and intense, in Japan, people still use it as a means to keep evil away.

History of Hannya Mask

Hannya mask’s history and origins dig much deeper. To understand the history of a Hannya mask, we must move back to the 14th century. The Hannya mask first popped into the top list of traditional musical theatres of Japan called ‘Noh Theatre.’ This theatre was pretty much popular during this time. The actors of Noh Play told stories using gestures instead of saying the dialogues; they used to adorn intricate masks. The Hannya mask was used to depict a lady being overwhelmed with plenty of emotions, like sorrow, rage, envy, and heartbreak, while she would take the shape of a demon, serpent, or dragon. The common features of a Hannya mask are somber metallic eyes, sharp fang-like teeth, two devil-styled horns, and a leering mouth.

Hannya Mask Tattoo Meaning

The meaning behind the real Hannya mask can be depicted in different forms when formed into a tattoo. The extremely vibrant colors depict and emphasize specific intense emotions you wish to highlight through the Hannya mask tattoo. Black and grey tattoo artists can use black or grey tones to show feelings of melancholy.
The mask could further be combined with other Japanese images to make the whole tattoo even more meaningful and pairs amazingly with the mask for the large format of tattoo pieces like back pieces or sleeves. You can also pair a black and grey rose tattoo with the Hannya mask to make it look even more meaningful.

Conclusion

What kind of a Hannya mask tattoo do you wish to get? Which intense emotion do you want your Hannya mask to depict? Whatever your specifications might be, getting a perfect Hannya mask tattoo is not hard to get because of the black and grey tattoo artists like Marc Pinto from the Primitive Tattoo studio. You can contact them for an appointment via call or message or fill out a form from their website.