As Demon Slayer’s popularity continues to grow, its latest “Swordsmith Village” arc promises much of the same character moments, mystery and beautifully animated action that the series is known for. The setting for this newest season is the Swordsmith Village, where Tanjiro goes to have his sword repaired and become stronger.
As the only place where weapons that can kill Demons are made, the Swordsmith Village’s location is kept a total secret. The village is dedicated to the construction of Nichiirin blades, and all of its inhabitants are made to wear the same mask that conceals their true identities. What’s the origin of this specific mask that swordsmiths wear, and how does every member of the swordsmith trade wearing the same identification feature aid in their protection?
What Design Is Demon Slayer’s Swordsmith Mask Based On?
Every swordsmith in Demon Slayer’s version of Japan wears a variation of the same light pink mask, distinctly characterized by its rosy red cheeks and thin, protruding tube for its mouth. This mask can be seen not only in other anime but also in real-life Japanese culture, where it’s known as a hyottoko mask. This mask is based on the face of Japanese comedy character Hyottoko and is commonly worn in dance ceremonies, usually accompanied by a headscarf.
“Hyottoko” in Japanese roughly translates to “fire man,” and in some areas of northern Japan, Hyottoko is regarded as the god of fire. Hyottoko masks are also connected to a ceremonial dance in Iwate prefecture — a place known for its history in the iron industry. With the historical and cultural connections of the Hyottoko mask to ironwork and fire, the mask is a perfectly fitting symbol of Demon Slayer’s swordsmith profession.
How Useful Are Swordsmith Masks for Protection in Demon Slayer?
The in-universe reason why swordsmiths all wear a hyottoko mask is to protect their identities. As the only people who can forge weapons that can harm Demons, swordsmiths are a natural target for attack whenever they’re away from their village to deliver Nichirin blades. There are also likely cultural reasons to wear the mask as well, given that every swordsmith even within their own village wears a variation of the hyottoko. The mask is likely a status symbol within their society and has long become part of the swordsmith tradition.
Since the only people seen in Demon Slayer wearing the hyottoko mask are swordsmiths, this begs the question of how useful these masks really are for keeping the swordsmiths safe. After all, if every swordsmith can be identified by the same mask, then they would be natural targets for Demons whether masked or unmasked. However, aside from its supernatural elements, the Japan of Demon Slayer’s setting resembles the Taisho era of real-world Japan. Thus, it’s possible that swordsmiths are able to disguise themselves as common theater performers who are also known for their hyottoko mask usage if the need to blend in ever arises.
