In his tiny workshop, Albert Ebener has been making masks for half a century. Today, as he carefully cuts and carves the wood, a terrifying face begins to emerge. On the walls around Albert ...

An almost perfectly preserved wooden mask from around the early third century that likely featured in important farming festivals was uncovered at an archaeological site in Osaka Prefecture.

But these days, larger masks are being used to make the costumes more attractive. Artists said that the wooden masks used now weigh around 5 kg. Natural paints are used to colour the masks ...