TOKUTOKUYA News vol.19 [February, 2019]

Do you know Namahage in Japan?
Namahage of Japan was certified as an intangible cultural asset of UNESCO in 2018.

Long time ago, the five demons that the warrior of the Han came along robbed the village, including plundering crops and daughters. The troubled villagers promised “I will give my daughter if you can load a thousand steps of stone steps up to Goshado overnight. We preferably leave this village”. When the demons quickly piled up 999 stages and the villagers made a move and they left one more step. When the villagers make a momentum and tell the dawn in imitation of the roosting, the demons were surprised and went away and they have never return there.
On the evening of New Year ‘s Eve, the men of each village dressed Namahage and say around “Where is a child who don’t listen your parents or crying all the time?” “Does your wife get up early? ” they loudly screaming around the houses of the area.

For Oga people, Namahage is a visiting God coming at the milestone of the year, which gives warnings of laziness, sound health and an abundant crop of fruits or seafoods.

The “Namahage event” in Oga city was once held in the New Year’s Day, but now it is held on New Year’s Eve on 31 December. Due to lack of successors, etc., the districts that we do year by year are decreasing, but in recent years we have also shown the movement of resurrection.

I have never actually met face to face them, but I would like to see them once. It seems very impressive.