Embedded Files
Historical Background
Historical Background
New Year’s Eve ritual in Oga peninsula, portrayed by young men dressed in demonic masks and traditional straw garments, they go around houses in the village yelling if there’s any bad behavior of kids. People in the household protect the family by assuring that they are good people and present the namahage sake and food. The mask which looks like “oni” is now considered to be the symbol of the ritual which was registered as a UNESCO Intangible World Heritage in 2018. It was first carved by a man around 1964, and the local administrative officials decided to make use of his iconic masks for tourism. After his father's death, his son, Senshu Ishikawa, the only mask engraver today, took over the craftsmanship.
Characteristics
Characteristics
The masks look different in different villages in the Oga Peninsula. The Namahage Museum displays masks from approximately 60 different areas.
Senshu Ishikawa’s masks:
Made of a paulownia wood of 20 to 30 years old
“Beautiful but scary”: symmetrical design contributes to the dreadfulness of the mask
To know more!
To know more!
Introducing the Namahage Museum (Japanese/English sub)
General information about Namahage in English with Japanese translation.
Portraying the exhibitions in the Namahage Museum, including the actual working scene of Senshu Ishikawa as well as the other types of masks and costumes (English sub).
Documentary of the Namahage Festival (English sub).
Current activities
Current activities
Namahage Sedo Festival - February 10th - 12th (2024)
A festival with performances about the Namahage (performance, dance, drumming, ect.). Plus there’s a bonfire!
Admission Fee - 1,000 yen per person
Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm
More information: https://oganavi.com/sedo/en/ (English)
Craft experience of a wall-hanging ornament
You can paint the Namahage face and put eyes on it.
Fee - 850 yen
Time - 60 minutes (9:00am - 5:00pm)
How to get there
How to get there
The Namahage Museum is the best place to learn the history, ritual, and culture of Namahage. You can experience the ritual, wear costumes to take photos, and purchase souvenirs.
Namahage Museum
〒010-0685 Akita, Oga, Mizukuisawa Kitaurashinzan
From Akita Station:
you can drive there for approximately one hour
you can take the train to Oga station (50 min) and take the Namahage Shuttle bus (25 min)
You can also reserve the Oga shuttle and directly go to the Namahage Museum
More information about the transportation can be found from the following link.
Where to purchase
Where to purchase
Since Namahage is one of the most famous and popular cultures in Akita, you can purchase a mask in every souvenir shop, for example at airports, stations, and other facilities. Here are some easily accessible places:
Akita Airport
〒010-1211 Akita, Yūwatsubakigawa, Yamagomori 49
Akita Station
〒010-0001 Akita, Nakadōri 7-chōme-1-2
Namahage Museum
〒010-0685 Akita, Oga, Mizukuisawa Kitaurashinzan
Price
The authentic mask by Ishikawa Senshu - around 13,000 to 31,000 yen
You can find smaller plastic masks at more affordable prices at souvenir shops.
Photos by Tohoku Digital Archive
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