Last Updated: Jun 3, 2024

The Oga Peninsula’s Namahage

On Akita’s Ogres & Onsen

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium.

As those intrepid adventurers who have braved the journey already know, northern Japan is a wonder unto itself. This final frontier is home to an amazing assortment of rich culture and local folklore. Of the north’s allures though, perhaps nothing is more noteworthy than Akita Prefecture’s fearsome Namahage. Centered in and around the Oga Peninsula, the Namahage have played a vital role over the years in the development of this domain’s customs and conventions. Moreover, the Namahage were also recently included on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2018. If you’re looking for a novel off the beaten path adventure, I cannot more highly recommend that you follow in my footsteps and make the trek up here.

Before getting too deep into the logistics of visiting the Oga Peninsula, allow me to first explain what exactly a Namahage is for those not in the know. Put most succinctly, these frightful horrors are actually thought to be the locals’ benevolent benefactors. Essentially, the Namahage perform the role of terrorizing the lazy into getting their act together. Once every year, these hellions stalk from house to house on the prowl for lethargic loafers who haven’t been pulling their weight. While the Namahage’s annual hunt for the halfhearted…