Not just Namahage? Visiting gods from all over Tohoku who appear during Koshogatsu

"Any crying children here?" The Namahage of Oga, Akita, is known nationwide as a folk event representative of the Tohoku region

...But did you know that there are actually many gods all over the country who, although they may have different appearances and names, fulfill similar roles?

They are collectively called visiting deities (raihoshin)

What is a visiting deity? A "god" in the form of a demon

A visiting deity is a folklore term that refers to a deity that comes to human settlements from the mountains, seas, or other worlds at the turn of the year or the turning of the seasons

• Wearing masks and costumes
• Visiting the houses
• Check out how people live
• Exorcise disasters and bestow good fortune

This characteristic is not only common to Namahage but also to folk events all over Japan

The important point is that the visiting deities are "gods," not "demons." Their terrifying, demon-like appearances or bizarre, straw-covered forms are not meant to frighten people, but rather to visibly manifest non-human beings

Why does it appear on "Koshogatsu"?

The timing of the appearance of visiting deities varies slightly from region to region, but in Tohoku, they are concentrated from New Year's Day to around January 15th (Little New Year)

Little New Year is considered "another New Year's Day" that celebrates the first full moon of the year.

• Be aware of the beginning of farming
• An important day to take down New Year's decorations and pray for peace in the new year

Because of this meaning, it has come to be seen as "the turning point when the year truly begins to move."

At these important junctures, people needed to welcome the gods and have them check that their lives were going properly, and it is said that visiting gods played this role

Why visit houses instead of shrines?

One of the key characteristics of visiting deities that should not be overlookedthey visit each individual household.

This is thought to have been done with the idea that the gods would personally visit each "house" that made up the town or village, check on each family member living there, admonish lazy people, pray for fire prevention, and pray for happiness and peace, in order to start the year on a good note

Visiting deities remaining in various parts of Tohoku

From cute to terrifying, there are a variety of visiting gods throughout Tohoku

Fukudawara Korogashi andKapakapa(Inakadate Village, Aomori Prefecture)

In the Little New Year's event called "Fukudawara Korogashi" (Rolling the Lucky Rice Bale ) that is passed down in and around Inakadate Village, Aomori Prefecture , children dress up as Daikokuten (the god of wealth) and go from house to house. When invited into the entrance, they throw the lucky rice bales they are carrying into the house and sing, "They've come in, they've come in, the lucky rice bales have come in," praying for good health and safety for the family.

In households where someone is in their unlucky year , a doll called "Kapakapa," made from carrots or similar materials, is placed in front of the entrance to pray for protection against bad luck

It is said that what were originally separate customs were eventually combined into one event, and rather than being a frightening figure that warns, they are characterized as visiting gods that directly bring good fortune

Link:Hirakawa City Tourism Association, Aomori Prefecture – Kapakapa Fukudawara Korogashi

Oga Namahage (Oga City, Akita Prefecture)

When discussing the visiting deities of Tohoku , the "Namahage of Oga" is an indispensable figure .

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Why do Namahage carry blades and punish people? - Oga Peninsula and Demon Legends (1) [Akita Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/34981

When you hear the word Oga, the first thing that comes to mind is the "Namahage." Every year on New Year's Eve, demon-like figures wearing frightening masks and straw costumes visit homes, shouting, "Any lazy people here? Any crying children here?" They carry deba knives and buckets in their hands. The Namahage are gods who pray for the villagers' health and prosperity in the new year, as well as for good health and abundant harvests in the coming winter. A Namahage descend from the mountains into the village (at the Namahage Sedo Festival). ©Akita Prefecture. While the Namahage may seem frightening at first glance, they are actually there to encourage lazy villagers who spend all their time warming themselves around the kotatsu or hearth during the winter farming off-season, ensuring good health and prosperity...

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It is said that the name Namahage originated from the act of "namomihagi" (peeling off the raw body), which refers to the act of peeling off the namomi (brown bruises from low-temperature burns) that appear on lazy people who spend all their time warming themselves by a kotatsu or irori during the winter off-season for farming, as they would scold them for spending too much time in the fire.

At first glance, it has a frightening, demon-like appearance, shakes doors, shouts loudly, and even carries a kitchen knife, making it a symbol of fear

However, in reality, it is said that the purpose of this deity is not to instill fear, but to provide warnings and admonitions against laziness, and to bring about good health and abundant harvests

Therefore, when Namahage visit a home, food and alcohol are prepared and they are treated with courtesy

Link:Namahage of Oga

Suneka in Yoshihama (Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture)

The "Yoshihama no Suneka," a deity from Yoshihama, Sanriku-cho, Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture, is a grotesque visiting deity clad in a mask and straw cloak. The masks come in a variety of forms, including those of animals, insects, and human figures.

Since ancient times, the Little New Year has been considered a day when sacred beings beyond human comprehension come and go. On such a day, Suneka appear, going from house to house, rattling the abalone shells hanging from his waist and brandishing a knife to scare children. His purpose is said to be to pray forgood health and ward off evil spirits, and the householders offer Suneka mochi (rice cakes) and monetary gifts as a form of hospitality.

The custom is very similar to the Namahage of Oga, and while the name Namahage is said to originate from "namomihagi" (stripping away the flesh) , the name Suneka is said to originate from the act of "sune no kawahagi" (stripping the skin off the shins) of stripping the skin off the shins of lazy people .

Link:Ofunato City Official Website – UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage "Yoshihama no Suneka"

Kasedori (Kaminoyama City, Yamagata Prefecture)

The "Kase-dori" festival in Kaminoyama City, Yamagata Prefecture , is a ceremony to pray for business prosperity, a bountiful harvest, and protection from fire.

By donning a straw cloak called a "kendai" that covers the entire body, they embody the Toshigami-sama "Kasetori," a deity of the year who is believed to celebrate the year's abundance through the voice of a god who comes from a distant land during the Little New Year.

It is said that in the past there was a "Gozen Kasei" performance at the castle and a "Machikata Kasei" performance within the town, and nowadays the procession recreates this, starting with a dance performance in front of a bonfire set up in front of Kaminoyama Castle, and then proceeding to parade through the town

As the Kasedori bird vigorously sings "Kakkakka no Kakkakka!", people enthusiastically pour water called "iwai-mizu" (celebration water) onto it, praying for fire prevention

Link:Yamagata Prefecture Official Tourism Website – Kasetori

The water-spraying "Fire Man" and "Okame" of the Yonekawa River (Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture)

The "Yonekawa no Mizukaburi" (water splashing of Yonekawa) , a tradition in Yonekawa, Towa-cho, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture , is a fire prevention ritual that has been performed for over 800 years. When people in their unlucky year participate, it also has the meaning of warding off evil.

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

"Yonekawa Water Splashing," a visiting deity event held on the border between Miyagi and Iwate prefectures | Local report [Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/38478

The Yonekawa Water-Burning Ceremony in Towa Town, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture, is a Nationally Designated Important Intangible Cultural Property and a visiting deity event that was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage on November 29, 2018. As of January 2025, there are 22 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage sites in Japan, including 10 "Visiting Deities: Masked and Costumed Gods." Four of these, including the Yonekawa Water-Burning Ceremony, were registered in the Tohoku region at the same time. Tohoku's "UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: Visiting Deities: Masked and Costumed Gods" include the Yonekawa Water-Burning Ceremony (Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture), Yoshihama Suneka (Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture), Oga Namahage (Oga City, Akita Prefecture), and Yusa's Little New Year Amahage (Yusa City, Yamagata Prefecture).

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Furthermore, on that day, separate from the group that pours water over themselves to pray for protection against fire, two people dressed as Hyottoko and Okame go around to the houses in the district collecting congratulatory gifts

Hyottoko and Okame are "visiting deities who bring good fortune." Hyottoko is written as "fire man," so he is considered a temporary form of the fire god, and Okame is considered his partner deity.

Okame carries a bucket on a balance pole, and Hyottoko, dressed in an ink-dyed monk's robe, quietly parades through the town ringing a bell

Link:Tome City Official Website – UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage "Yonekawa Water Splashing"

Higan Lion (Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture)

The "Higan Shishi" dance, a tradition passed down in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture , features three lion dancers (the lead lion, the male lion, and the female lion) wearing lion masks, performing a dance to the accompaniment of flutes and drums to pray for the eradication of disease, a bountiful harvest, and the safety of the family.

As the name "Higan" suggests, this festival is held not during the New Year but primarily around the spring equinox (Spring Equinox). It has the characteristics of a visiting deity, as it involves going from house to house, warding off misfortune, and bringing good fortune

In addition to the "Aizu Higan Shishi" in Aizuwakamatsu City , this visiting deity ritual has been passed down in various regions of the Aizu area, including the "Nishikatsu Higan Shishi" in Aizumisato Town and the "Shimoshiba Higan Shishi" in Kitakata City

Link:Aizu Festival Association Official Website – Aizu Higan Shishi

summary

Various visiting gods appear from the New Year to early spring

They appear for a variety of purposes, from simply bringing blessings to being strict with us, giving us warnings and admonitions, and guiding us in the right direction in life

At the root of this may lie the hopes of the people of the Tohoku region, a harsh region that has long been cut off by snow, who were hoping for happiness in the new year

[Reference Book]A Pictorial Guide to Japan's "Visiting Deities" You Can Only See Once a Year – Seishun Publishing

Aoiwa

Traveling around the Tohoku region, I enjoy drinking delicious sake and exploring the local history, traditions, and customs. I write articles based on my interests. I'm currently interested in folk performing arts, local toys, and folk beliefs