Shōdan in Okina
Putting on the mask
In the play Okina, both Okina-to-be and Sanbasō-to-be don masks on stage, an act that signifies their transformation from mortal beings into deities. However, the act of masking is intentionally understated. Okina puts on his mask during Senzai's second dance, Senzai-no-mai; because the two overlap, this act could not be noted in this collection as a separate shōdan section. The Sanbasō moves upstage and, assisted by a kōken, dons his mask facing away from the audience, with no musical accompaniment.