taiko 太孤

Old Persian man taikofu 太孤父 and young Persian boy taikoji 太孤児, two types of gigaku masks *gigakumen 伎楽面 used for the roles of the Lonely Widower and his sons in the gigaku skits popular in Japan (7th-12th century). Taikofu, accompanied by two children, taikoji, mimed praying to Buddha. 

The mask depicts an old man's face lined with wrinkles and melancholy. Some of the taikofu masks in the *Shōsōin 正倉院 have elongated heads with wooden hats, although the one in Hōryūji 法隆寺 has a normal shaped head. Many of the taikofu masks have implanted hair. The taikoji masks representing his accompanying boys are similar to *shishiko 師子児 masks, except that they lack the vigor of the Lion Trainer.