Meat noodles - Nikuzuki no Men

Japanese: 肉付の面 - にくづきのめん

The title of a story from a kodan (traditional Japanese storytelling). It is also called "Gengoro the Mask Carver." One of the most well-known biographies of masters. Around the Genroku period, the sculptor Gengoro was the best Noh mask carver in Edo, but he became addicted to alcohol and his skills deteriorated. As the end of the year approached and he needed money, he made a Hannya mask, but was humiliated by the master Kanze Tayu. Unable to bear the humiliation, he committed suicide. Gengoro's son Gennosuke worked hard and became a well-respected sculptor as well, and Kanze Tayu had Gennosuke carve a Hannya mask for him. When Kanze Tayu put on Gennosuke's mask, the mask stuck to him, perhaps due to Gengoro's grudge, and he could not remove it until Gennosuke finally removed it.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

講談の作品名。《面打源五郎》ともいう。代表的な名人伝の一つ。元禄のころ，彫刻（ほりもの）師源五郎は能面にかけては江戸随一の名工だったが，酒に溺れて腕が落ち，暮れに迫っての金欲しさで作った般若の面を，名人観世太夫からはずかしめられ，恥辱にたえかねて自害した。源五郎の子の源之助は刻苦勉励，やはり評判の彫刻師となり，観世太夫は源之助に般若の面を打たせる。源之助の面をつけた観世太夫は源五郎の怨念か面がはりついてとれなくなり，源之助が手をかけるとようやくとれる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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