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Namahage Museum
museum
Namahage Museum
なまはげ館
4.3Est. 90Oga, Tohoku
Local Pick
Overview
Discover fearsome Namahage demons of Oga Peninsula, with 150 masks and costumes from villages practicing this ritual.
Discover the fearsome Namahage demons of the Oga Peninsula through displays of 150 masks and costumes collected from villages still practicing this New Year ritual. The museum explains how these 'ogre' figures visit homes to admonish lazy children and newlywed brides, blessing households for the coming year. Live Namahage performances recreate the terrifying tradition in visceral detail.
Local tips
The Namahage are fearsome ritual deities of the Oga Peninsula, visiting homes on New Year's Eve in straw costumes and demon masks to drive out laziness and misfortune from households. The museum houses over 150 regional Namahage mask variations and explains the ceremonial context. The adjacent Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum displays the traditional performance setting. The annual Namahage Sedo Festival (second Saturday and Sunday of February) combines the Namahage ritual with a fire ceremony at Shinzan Shrine and is one of Tohoku's most dramatic winter events.
Practical info
- Japanese name
- なまはげ館
- Nearest station
- Hadachi Station (15 min drive)
- Payment
- Cards accepted
- Reservations
- Walk-in fine. Entrance tickets at the gate. Weekends and holidays can be busy.
Accessibility
Wheelchair entranceWheelchair parkingWheelchair restroom
Good for
Families
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