Namahage Sedo Festivalなまはげ柴灯祭
The festival is held annually on the second Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of February at Shinzan Shrine. In 1978, Oga city's Namahage were officially designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Asset. This festival is renowned as one of the Winter Five Great Snow Festivals and one of the three strangest festivals in Japan.
Traditionally, the celebration of Namahage in the village unfolds as follows: men dressed as Namahage demons visit each house, shouting questions such as "Are there any kids who don't listen to their parents?" and "Does the woman of the house wake up early?" Namahage are regarded as deities arriving with the New Year to caution against laziness, provide protection from illness and disasters, ensure a good harvest, and bring abundant food from the mountains and sea. Houses that welcome the Namahage prepare traditional food and sake, graciously offering it to them.
The Namahage festival at Shinzan Shrine features music and dance performances, including Wadaiko (Japanese drumming), music performances, dances by masked Namahage, and a reenactment of the Namahages' New Year visits.
Towards the end of the festival, witnessing the Namahage descending from the snowy mountain with torches is a fantastic sight. After their descent, the Namahage walk around the shrine, interacting with the many visitors.
The rice cakes presented to the divine demons during this event are known as "Goma Mochi," and they are bestowed upon parishioners as protective charms for disaster prevention.
Highlights
Appearance of Namahage
Namahage Demons roam around the village carrying a large chopping knife, Deba bōchō (出刃包丁). They also wield Gohei (御幣), sacred wooden wands adorned with paper streamers that symbolize their status as Shinto gods. Traditional Namahage masks are crafted from bark, carved wood, and paper mache molded onto colanders. Nowadays, Namahage masks are also produced using plastic. The Namahage don coats made of straw, known as kede or sometimes kedashi, kende, or keramino. They wear Waragutsu (藁沓) boots made of straw and shin guards crafted from straw.
Venue
- Shinzan Shrine ⎯ 真山神社
Address
Mizukuisawa-97 Kitaurashinzan
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