Nara Period

• In the Nara Period of the early 700s, a performance called gigaku incorporated the use of wooden masks with exaggerated features that covered the head. According to the Cultural Profiles Project, gigaku was "...apparently based on the Korean kiak and comprising a Buddhist mystery play preceded by a mime-dance procession featuring caricatural masks and burlesque characters. ..." These plays were popular and frequently performed until the Medieval Era.
  
  

Heian Period

• The Heian Period (between 792-1185) saw the rise of a type of court music known as gagaku, accompanied by masks called bugaku. Unlike their earlier counterparts, bugaku masks only covered the face. Most of these masks were created from cypress wood, though lacquer masks have been found from this period, and the style of carving closely mimics that of Buddhist statues. A gagaku performance concentrates on music instead of performance, which is reflected in the more abstract representation of emotions than the earlier gigaku masks.
  
  

Muromachi Period

• From the Heian Period to the Muromachi Period (1392-1568) a "gyodo" mask was developed for Buddhist processions that took place outdoors, and often accompanied new temple dedications. Strictly religious in nature, the masks represented various figures in the Buddhist philosophy such as dragons, "Bodhisattvas", and demons. The masks were often oversized to symbolize superhuman characteristics, and early gyodo examples seem to have been influenced by their bukagu predecessors.
  
  

The 14th Century

• Perhaps the most famous Japanese mask known by Western civilization is the stylized Noh mask, which accompanied a type of theatre that evolved in the 14th century from earlier agricultural rituals. 80 types of masks are considered essential for most Noh plays, but over 200 types exist. The main feature of a Noh mask is the way it's carved to present different expressions as the actor's movement changes the light patterns reflected on it. Most Noh masks are smaller than the actor's face, breaking from the tradition of earlier masks that covered most or all of the head.
  
  

Modern Times

• The National Noh Theatre of Tokyo still regularly performs plays, which often last up to 6 hours. Three-dimensional masks are also the main theme of a long-running television franchise known as "Kamen Rider" (Masked Rider). With a plot aimed at pre-teens the characters are similar to American superheroes, but their transformation involves a complete costume change including an elaborate and often insect-themed mask that covers the head.