Gigaku 伎楽

Gigaku masks of the Asuka / Nara period (7th-8th century)

Hôryû-ji temple / Tôkyô National Museum

“Gigaku is a Buddhist ceremony that involves an outdoor procession accompanied by music mixed with dramatic sketches in which large masks are worn. This ceremony is said to have been introduced from Paecke, Korea, in the first half of the 7th century. In Japan it was quite often performed in the 7th and 8th century, but after that time it became progressively less popular until it ceased being performed all together.” (Tôkyô National Museum)