【Important notes】 ・International buyers are responsible for any import duties, taxes, and charges not included in the item price or shipping cost. Please note that VAT paid to Catawiki is separate from and does not cover import duties or customs charges in your country. You may still be required to pay additional fees upon delivery, as determined by your local customs authorities. ・Shipping Details: Most items are shipped via Japan Post EMS (airmail). If you are in a hurry, we can arrange shipping via DHL or FedEx upon request for an additional fee. ・Damage and Issues: If you receive a damaged item, please contact us immediately. The damage must be reported to your local post office within 7 days of delivery, and promptly to us and Catawiki support. 【Product details】 A striking hand-carved Bitchu Kagura mask depicting Susanoo-no-Mikoto（須佐之男命）, created by mask artisan Takeshi Taguchi（田口武之）, known as Heihachi（平八）. The reverse is inscribed “Susanoo-no-Mikoto” and signed “Heihachi saku”（平八作）. His works are highly regarded as rare works of art, auspicious objects, and traditional crafts associated with protection from misfortune. Susanoo-no-Mikoto is the powerful Shinto deity celebrated for defeating the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi. This dramatic story is one of the best-known episodes performed in Bitchu Kagura, the traditional folk performing art of Okayama Prefecture designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. The mask has a commanding theatrical expression, with strongly arched eyebrows, large brass-framed eyes, prominent cheeks, gold-coloured teeth and an applied black hair moustache. The vivid cream, black, red and gold decoration gives the mask a powerful presence, while the reverse retains bold hand-carved chisel marks that reveal the craftsmanship of its maker. The original storage box is included. This work dates from the late Showa period and is made from hand-carved and painted wood with brass and hair elements. Good vintage condition with age-related wear, including minor scuffs, small scratches, surface marks, discolouration, and some lifting or wear around the moustache attachment. Please examine the photographs carefully for the condition. ※Important: For Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Monaco and Portugal, orders of €150 or less cannot currently be shipped due to the new €3 customs duty/IOSS issue. There is no confirmed resumption date. Please do not bid unless you are prepared to wait. Orders over €150 are not affected. Dimensions: approx. H 24 cm W 19.3 cm D 10.8 cm ・Please make sure to review all the provided information, description, and images before placing your bid. The items shown in the photos are what is included in the lot. If anything shown as included is missing upon delivery, please contact us immediately. ・Some display stands or other items in the photos may be photography props and are not included in the sale. Please read the description carefully to confirm what is included. ・We make every effort to accurately represent the product's colors and textures in our photos. However, due to differences in monitors and device displays, as well as photographic conditions, slight color variations between the photos and the actual product may occur. We ask for your understanding in advance. Thank you for your interest, and happy bidding!