能面の虫干し Mask airing

Noh by Gustavo Thomas.jpg(c) Gustavo Thomas

[いま]、和歌山[わかやま]のあるところで、能面[のうめん] (= Noh masks)の虫干[むしぼ]し(= airing)が行[おこな]われて(= to be held)いるそうです。
 
Airing of Noh masks are being held in Wakayama, Japan now.

これは先日[せんじつ]の朝日[あさひ]新聞[しんぶん]で読[]みました。能[のう]は日本[にほん]の伝統[でんとう]舞台[ぶたい]芸術[げいじゅつ] (= traditional theatrical arts )の1つです。上[うえ]の写真[しゃしん]は能[のう]の舞台[ぶたい]の写真[しゃしん]です。能[のう]の舞台[ぶたい]では、役者[やくしゃ] (= actors)は能面[のうめん]と呼[]ばれるマスクをします。このマスクは木[]で作[つく]られています。ひげ(= beard; moustaches)などは動物[どうぶつ]の毛[]で作[つく]られています。それで、気[]をつけないと、カビ(= mould)が生[]えたり、虫[むし]がついたりします。そういうのを防[ふせ]ぐ(= to prevent)ために、新聞[しんぶん]記事[きじ]の写真[しゃしん]のように、虫干[むしぼ]しをしなければいけないのです。

大変[たいへん]ですね。
 
I read about this news in Asahi Shimbun Newspaper the other day. As you might know, Noh is one of the Japanese traditional theatrical arts. The above photo shows a Noh theatre. In the Noh theatre, actors wear masks. Those masks are made of wood and beard, moustaches etc. attached to the masks are often made of horse hair. If you are not careful enough, these masks could be damaged by mould and/or bugs. To prevent this type of unwanted consequences, owners of those masks have to give them an airing regularly. This newspaper article shows many Noh masks being aired.
 
What a work!

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