Namahage is a visiting deity that is said to exist around the Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture. Shinzan Shrine, the current center of this legend, holds the annual Namahage Purple Lantern Festival, which is held in celebration of the...
Aoiwa
Oga City, Akita Prefecture, is the sacred ground of Namahage, arguably the most famous visiting deity in Japan. Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT: Why do Namahage carry knives and punish people?.
Aoiwa
Based on "The Five Winds of Oga," a travelogue written by Edo period traveler Masumi Sugae (1754-1829) about his journey around the Oga Peninsula, this book compares the Edo period with the present day.
Based on the Oga Gofu, a travelogue written by Masumi Sugae (1754-1829) of the Edo period about his journeys around the Oga Peninsula, this book compares the Edo period with the present day.
Sugae Masumi (1754-1829) was a travel writer from the Edo period who traveled mainly to northern Japan and Hokkaido, and wrote about the scenery, the lives and customs of the people, along with colored illustrations...
Putting aside the debate over whether Namahage are demons or gods, the Oga Peninsula is home to numerous demon legends. The origin of one is the legend that five bats who accompanied Emperor Wu of Han transformed into demons...
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 sing, "Anyone lazy? Cry...".
At the northern tip of the Oga Peninsula is Nyudozaki. Nyudozaki Lighthouse, a rare lighthouse that can be climbed, sits atop a hill offering a panoramic view of the Sea of Japan, and the nearby coast is home to the "Shika Otoshi" ritual...
What impression do you have of Namahage? I had the image of a scary demon who goes around to each house on New Year's Eve, threatening children by asking, "Are there any naughty children here?".
The Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum presents the legend of Namahage through skits. Namahage, a visiting deity, is a representative folk legend of Oga City, Akita Prefecture, and is designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan.
