Rare Japanese wooden sculptured Noh mask - Yamanba山姥, finely carved with vivid expressions. made by Maeda Shikayama前田鹿山 and 前田 are signed on the backside. A Yamauba (or Yamanba) is a monstrous old woman who lives in the deep mountains. She is a Japanese yokai (supernatural creature) believed to live in the mountains and devour people. She is said to offer lodging to travelers wandering aimlessly in the mountains at night, initially disguised as a beautiful woman and offering food, but then devours them after they fall asleep. Some interpret her as a transformed version of legends about old women abandoned in the mountains to reduce the number of mouths to feed due to starvation, like the witches living deep in the woods in the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, or a by-product of the legend of abandoning the elderly. Others suggest she is a direct counterpart to the Western witch. Dimensions: 21 x 14 x 8 cm Note: import duties, VAT and oher fees collected by destination country should be responsible by the buyer. Good condition: there are stains and wear off from aging and using, please also take a look at the listed photos for a reference. Will be well packaged and shipping by Japan Post in fast delivery.