Mount Shinzan, the home ground of the Namahage of Oga. Shinzan Shrine holds the Namahage Sedo Festival every February, and the neighboring Namahage Museum displays the varied masks of each village.
Legend Site
Shinzan Shrine and the Namahage Museum
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Positions on the map are a rough guide to the area where a legend or sighting is set. Most pins are placed at representative points of a municipality or prefecture (outside Japan, a city position rounded to about 10 km, or the country), not at the exact place.
Municipality points: Geolonia address data (CC BY 4.0), based on the Address Base Registry (Digital Agency of Japan) / Country points: Natural Earth
| Encyclopedia | Namahage |
|---|---|
| Location | Akita Oga |
| Type of place | Shrine or temple |
| Map position | Approximate position (Municipality), not the exact place |
A visiting deity of a traditional New Year's Eve event on the Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture. Wearing demon-like masks and straw costumes called kede, Namahage go from house to house shouting "Are there any crybabies here?", scolding the lazy and bringing good fortune.