Jan 21, 2015 - 1 min read

Namahage of Oga

A visit to the Oga Namahage Museum in Akita Prefecture

By Dale A. Brown

Community writer

Namahage greet you at the entrance of the Oga Peninsula at the Oga Information Center.

Namahage is a symbol of the rich cultural history of the area.

When Namahage visit homes during new years they are offered mochi, sake, and other treats to persuade them not to take the bad children in the household.

The Namahage weld knives known as deba knives or deba boochoo.

There are many fantastic Namahage masks on display at the Namahage Museum.

Men from the villages will dress up as Namahage during the new year season and visit houses in the villages to check in on children who have been good or bad during the year.

Namahage masks are most commonly seen as red or blue, but can come in many colors.

The Namahage Museum has many exhibits to see that let you better understand the origins of the Namahage.

The Namahage are demon like ogres, or Oni, that were brought to Japan by the Chinese Emperor Wu of Han.

A night time visit near the Akagami Shrine, which is at the core of the Namahage legend.

The Oga Peninsula of Akita Prefecture is home to a fantastic legend about the great Namahage that live high in the mountains. It is said that these demon like ogres, originally from China, keep watch over the villages and will emerge during new years to torment the lazy and misbehaving children of the land. Namahage marks the rich cultural heritage of the northern Honshu prefecture. Although present throughout the Oga area, you can enjoy a fantastic experience at the Namahage Museum where you can dress up as a Namahage and experience a demonstration of the New Year’s visit of Namahage in a family setting. You can also walk the 999 stone steps of Akagami Shrine, which is at the core of the Namahage legend.

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Dale A. Brown

By Dale A. Brown

Community writer

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Elena Lisina

Elena Lisina 5 years ago

I like those creatures!

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Radica Sooknarine

Radica Sooknarine 9 years ago

Fantastic photos! Those masks sure are scary!

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Mandy Bartok

Mandy Bartok 9 years ago

What a neat find! Have you also done the 999 steps up to the shrine?

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Justin Velgus

Justin Velgus 9 years ago

Now that's a lot of steps!

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Justin Velgus

Justin Velgus 9 years ago

Namahage are so cool!! Some say they are demons, but they are actually deities in disguise!

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