Shōdan in Okina
Putting on the mask
In the play Okina, two of the three main characters, Okina and Sanbasō, don masks while on stage. In both instances, this act signifies their transformation from mortal beings into deities. However, the act of masking is intentionally understated. Okina puts on his mask while Senzai performs his second dance, and Sanbasō moves upstage where, assisted by a kōken, he dons his mask while facing away from the audience.