Jul 18, 20221 min read

Namahage Museum, Oga, Akita Pref.

なまはげ館（秋田県男鹿）

In December 2018, Oga no Namahage, a traditional folk event in Oga, Akita Prefecture, was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. On the night of December 31, men wearing demon-like masks yell out words of warning as they walk from home to home throughout the Oga Peninsula.

At the Namahage Museum, you can see 150 namahage masks that were once actually used in the New Year’s Eve event on display. It is fascinating to see the regional variations.