Hannya Kids Hoodies

Hannya shirt

hannya and snake

Art by Alex Cabal

Hannya

Evil Hannya. Original Illustration.

The hannya mask is a mask used in Japanese Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon.

japanese mask

"He who makes a beast out of himself Gets rid of the pain of being a man"

Hannya sitting in an open peony

Cyberpunk Hannya Demon

The name hannya (般若) is a Sino-Japanese word for prajna or wisdom. One tradition states that this name was given to this mask because it was the name of an artist monk Hannya-bō (般若坊) who is said to have perfected its creation. Another explanation is that Perfection of Wisdom sutras and their variations were considered to be particularly effective against female demons. An alternate explanation is that the artist would need a great deal of wisdom in order to create this mask

Cyberpunk Hannya Demon

Make all your friends jealous with this gorgeous hannya mask.

A mask used in Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon or serpent.

Hannya Kanji Symbol

Japanese Samurai Demon

Anger, Jealousy, Resentment: A Hannya tattoo indicates that the wearer is unforgiving. Hannya originate from the Sanskrit term for wisdom—specifically Prajñāpāramitā, the highest form of Buddhist wisdom which leads to enlightenment. The juxtaposition of the highest form of wisdom and creatures who represent direct opposition to that wisdom comes from the use of the hannya mask in noh. In the play Aoi no Ue, a shugenja (an ascetic mystic) exorcises the spirit of the hannya Lady Rokujō from Lady Aoi. As it is driven away, the evil spirit cries out, “Oh, how horrible! The voice of wisdom is like a demon!” Since then, demon masks and wisdom have been associated with each other.

mask

Japanese Hannya Samurai Demon

mask

Hannya mask

As the legend goes, hannya appeared thanks to a talented Japanese monk who created masks for ritual dances. It depicts the face of a demon with horns and sharp teeth that perfectly match the smile distorted in impotent malice. If you look at the mask from a certain angle, it seems as if the demon is crying hysterically. Hannya represents a woman (being not too feminine in appearance) who is jealous and angry. On the stage of traditional Japanese theater, this mask usually hides female characters who are obsessed with jealousy and turn into real monsters because of it. Samurai often used the hanja (symbol of the fallen angel) as an amulet, guaranteeing protection from the enemy. The oldest surviving mask is more than 450 years old.

An artwork inspired by "Hannya", a Japanese Demon.

An artwork inspired by "Hannya", a Japanese Demon.

The vengeful spirit in flesh.

Japanese Hannya mask tattoo design with cherry blossoms and black chrysanthemum

Hannya tattoo

Kawaii Hannya Matsuri - Illustrated by Lucia Petrucci (Monsters in my head)

b&w hannya art

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HANNYA masks are used in Japanese Noh theatre to invoke the image of a female demon.

Oriental hannya mask with skull

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The mask symbolizes a being that has lost her human nature, because her passion burned all the human feelings out of her including sorrow.

Japanese demon under a samurai helmet, giving off strange flames. Hannya is a Japanese yokai, that is to say a mystical creature of the Japanese culture.