Meet the Namahage at the Namahage Museum and Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum, where all the Namahage of Oga are gathered together! [Akita Prefecture]

The Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum presents the legend of Namahage through skits

Namahage, a visiting deity, is a representative folk tradition of Oga City, Akita Prefecture, and has been designated as an important intangible cultural property of Japan

It would barge into houses crying out in a terrifying voice, "Are there any naughty children here?!" and "Are there any lazy children here?!" and the children would cry out in utter terror at its grotesque appearance and ferocity

"Oga Namahage," which is still held every year on New Year's Eve .

The Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum and the adjacent Namahage Museum are open all year round, so you can meet the Namahage and experience their power even if it's not New Year's Eve

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Namahage appears in a skit at the Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum

The Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum is shaped like an old private house, as Namahage would go round to each house and break into them

Inside, an old electric lamp shines in a space completely closed off by shutters, and a storyteller stands underneath it and begins to tell the legend of Namahage

After a while, a Sakidachi appears and asks if it is okay to enter the house. The reason he asks is because Namahage have a rule that they "cannot enter homes where there are sick people."

Suddenly, there is a loud banging on the shutters from outside, and at the same time, the voice of Namahage can be heard

Namahage enters the house and starts shouting, searching for naughty or lazy children. The owner of the house desperately pleads, "There are no naughty children in our house!" However, Namahage has a "Namahage Ledger." Looking at the ledger, he goes on a rampage, saying, "No, according to this, there must be some naughty children who are skipping their homework!"

The husband then tries to defend his child by saying, "No, my child just finished his homework! There's no such thing as a bad kid!" In order to appease the Namahage, the owner begins offering sake and snacks. Once the owner has shown all his hospitality, the Namahage calms down and heads off to the next house

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The origins of Namahage

Namahage wears a demon mask, but it is only a mask and it is said that they are actually messengers of the gods who pray for the safety of the household

the etymology of Namahage comes from "namomihagi."

If you stay warm by the fire for too long on a cold night, you will develop "fire octopus." In Akita, these fire octopus are called "namomi." Namomihagi are the creatures that come to remove these namomi. And the name "namahage" was corrupted from "namomihagi."

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A large number of Namahage will welcome you at the Namahage Museum

Next to the Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum the Namahage Museum . Inside the museum, there are over 100 Namahage that were actually used in each area. It's a gathering of all the Namahage from Oga. This is the only place where you can see so many Namahage all at once.

There are also videos available, allowing you to see the actual festival scenes, similar to the skits shown at the Folklore Museum. You can also try on a Namahage costume

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Summary of Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum

If you visit the Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum and the adjacent Namahage Museum, you can spend a day filled with the colors of Namahage. If you're interested, be sure to check it out

Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum <Information>

• Name: Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum (adjacent to Namahage Museum)
• Address: 48 Mizukuisawa, Kitaura, Oga City, Akita Prefecture, 010-0685
• Phone number: 0185-22-5050 (Namahage Museum)
• Official URL: Namahage Museum - Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum

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