Ubicación: Tócuaro

👹 Tócuaro: El Pueblo de los Rostros de Madera

If you take the scenic highway from Pátzcuaro to Erongarícuaro, prepare to enjoy one of the most beautiful drives in the region. You'll pass through Huecorio, Tzentzénguaro, and San Pedro Pareo, but there's one place where you absolutely must stop: Tócuaro.

Its name comes from tokua (“stone axe”), but today its main tool is not for war, but for art: the chisel. This small town is internationally famous as the birthplace of hand-carved masks, surreal pieces that give a face to the most emblematic dances of Michoacán.

🎭 Where Good and Evil coexist
Upon entering the family workshops, you'll find yourself surrounded by wooden figures. Here, artisans transform pieces of copadillo, avocado, or jacaranda wood into works of art that represent the eternal duality of humanity: terrifying devils coexist with angelic faces, smiling skeletons, and wise old men. Creativity here knows no bounds: snakes, frogs, and crocodiles intertwine in the features of the masks, creating unique pieces that can take anywhere from a week to months to complete (especially those for competitions).

💃 The Soul of the Michoacán Party
Have you seen the Dance of the Old Men, the Cúrpites, or the Pastorelas? It's very likely that the faces you saw dancing were born in this town. Originally made of clay, the dancers' costumes were perfected by the artisans of Tócuaro, who perfected the use of wood to make them lighter and easier for the dancers to handle, allowing the tradition of Michoacán's 80 dances to remain alive and vibrant.

🛠️ An Open Workshop Experience
The best thing about Tócuaro is that it's not a "shop." It's a town of creators. You can visit the workshops, smell the fresh wood shavings, and see in real time how a machete and a knife carve a devil or an angel from a lifeless log. It's witnessing the magic of creation.

🌟 OUR RECOMMENDATION

Tócuaro is the ideal place to buy genuine art.

Expert tip: Don't just focus on the large, colorful display masks. Ask about the "natural" (unpainted) masks or the miniatures. If you're a collector, look for the Pastorela (Devil) masks. They are the most intricate and famous in the region. Buying here directly supports families who have been preserving this craft for generations, ensuring that the "faces of Michoacán" never disappear. 🪵👹