Vintage Okame Mask, Kasukabe Hariko, 1970s

Small decorative Japanese mask in washi papier-mâché, depicting Okame (also known as Otafuku) – the round, laughing woman who in Japan symbolizes good fortune, prosperity and homely happiness.

Dimensions: height 18 cm, width 14 cm, depth 6 cm.

The mask is hand-painted in fresh tones: a white face with red lips and soft orange blush on the cheeks, framed by glossy black hair and small red accents. On the inside there is a paper label reading 春日部張子 (Kasukabe hariko), linking the piece to the well-known papier-mâché tradition of Kasukabe in Saitama.

Thanks to the light material and the red hanging cord, this mask is perfect as a playful wall accent in a hallway, bedroom or above a sideboard. Placed flat on a cabinet or in an open shelf, it adds a charming, traditional Japanese detail to your interior.

In lovely vintage condition with normal signs of age, exactly the kind of lived-in character you want from an authentic folk mask.