A Japanese wooden Noh mask, Edo period (1603-1868).

Noh 能 (Nō) has a long history, beginning in the 14th century as a combination of ceremonial ritual and theater. Originally it was performed in Shinto shrines for the Japanese aristocracy and had elements of religion, rituals and marcial arts as the audience partly consisted of samurais.
The noh masks are central to the art form and is much more than requisites as it has symbolic and magical meaning. They represent historical figures and spirits referred to as kami, which have their origins in Japan's indigenous beliefs. Traditionally, the mask symbolised 'possession', transforming the wearer into the kami or its human incarnation.