How to Fold a Ninja Mask
The classic ninja mask, made popular in the West through martial arts movies and the sport of ninjutsu, can be created through a series of fairly simple folds. Traditionally, the mask part of a ninja's outfit, which is called "shinobi shouzoku," is created out of "sanjaku tengui," or standard three-foot pieces of fabric that would have had other everyday uses in feudal Japan. A historical ninja, when engaged in the stealth guerrilla warfare tactics for which they are now famous, would have worn their dark-colored shinobi shouzoku with a mask to disguise his face in the dark. To make your own costume ninja mask out of folded cloth, complete the following instructions.
Instructions
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Lay one of the 3 by 3 pieces of fabric out on a flat surface. Fold it in half diagonally, so that two opposing corners meet. You should now have a large triangle. Fold the triangle in half again, across the long folded side, making a smaller triangle.
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2
Pick up the triangle with the corners of the fold in each hand. Put the triangle over your head like a bandanna, with the fold resting just above your eyes.
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3
Drape the fabric down the side of your face. This should be done so that the edges frame the eyes, then tie the corners snugly behind your head. You should be able to move your head easily, just as if you were wearing a loosely-draped bandanna.
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4
Pick up the other piece of "sanjaku tengui" fabric. Fold it in half, creating a rectangle.
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Place the folded side of the fabric over your nose. Cover your mouth with the rest. Bring the free edges around to the back of the head, over the "hood" part of your mask, and tie it snugly in place. You should still be able to move freely and breathe easily with the ninja mask on your face.
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Tips & Warnings
Choose a breathable fabric like loosely-woven cotton so that you do not have to tie your ninja mask too loosely on your face. The other parts of the shinobi shouzoku include a short kimono, altered hakama pants with kyahan leggings, tekko wristbands, an obi belt and split boots. Real shinobi shouzoku, unlike in movies, were not usually black. The historical ninja often wore other dark colors, most often favoring a yellowish red. However, modern ninjutsu gi are usually black, and you can choose which look you would like to emulate.
