About this event
Oga no Namahage is a traditional annual event handed down in Oga City, Akita Prefecture. Young men of the village wear Namahage masks, don straw kede (straw capes) and habaki (shin guards), carry wooden deba knifes in hand, and visit homes while shouting, 'Are there any crying children?' This event is not for tourists, but is a folk ritual deeply rooted in the Oga Peninsula community. The Namahage masks, costumes, and customs differ from village to village, and that diversity is one of its charms. For the people of Oga, the Namahage appear at the turning of the year as visiting deities who admonish laziness and bring good health, bountiful harvests, and blessings from both mountains and sea. This event is designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and is also inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Source website (Japanese) ↗Venue
Namahage Museum
61-2 Kitaura Mizukuisawa, Oga, Akita 010-0685
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