ひたいかくし

Japanese

Alternative spellings
額隠し 額隠 (rare)

In this image, the purple curtain is the 額隠し (hitaikakushi): a short ornamental curtain suspended over an area.

In this image, the foremost short multicolored curtain along the top front of the stage is the 額隠し (hitaikakushi): a short ornamental curtain suspended over an area.

Etymology

Compound of 額 (hitai, “forehead”) +‎ 隠し (kakushi, “hiding, hider”, the 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 隠(かく)す (kakusu, “to hide, to conceal”)). Apparently so named because the curtain is short and only extends downwards far enough to possibly hide the foreheads of anyone standing behind it (see images).

First cited to the 古事類苑 (Koji Ruien, literally “Ancient Matters Grouping Garden”), an encyclopedia of Japanese culture up through 1867 (the start of the Meiji period), commissioned by the Meiji government and published over the period of 1896–1914.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [çita̠ika̠kɯ̟ɕi]

Noun

ひたいかくし • (hitaikakushi) ^{←ひたひかくし (fitafikakusi)?}

1. [from 1800s] (archaic, possibly obsolete or dialect) a kind of short ornamental curtain suspended over the front or edge of an area, such as the curtain around the edge of the ceremonial Shinto roof over the center of a sumo arena, or the foremost decorative curtain on traditional Japanese theater stages such as for noh or kabuki

   Synonyms: 帽額 (mokō), 水引幕 (mizuhiki maku), 一文字幕 (hito moji maku, for noh stages)