Written by JC Team
A festival in which locals dress up as demons and scare the bejesus out of young children in Akita. There are also bonfires, a dramatic explanation of the reason for the festival, taiko drumming, and mochi (rice cake) hurling. This is one of Japan’s most unusual festivals.
Note: You will have to pre-register and pay ¥1,000 to attend, and the pre-application period ends February 6.
What else is there to do?
While you’re in town, take a look at the Nahagekan (Namahage museum). The museum is open year-round and is dedicated to the festival for which it is named. Inside you can see the various costumes and masks, and even try them on. Admission to the museum is usually ¥550 or ¥1,100 with a combined ticket to the neighbouring Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum. But for this winter season they have reduced the price to ¥880!
How to get there
The location of the festival is a little bit difficult to get to but luckily there is a paid shuttle bus ¥1,000 from Oga Station. You can use it all day and it takes about 30 minutes. Check the official website below for details on times.
Getting to Oga Station from Akita Station takes 55 minutes and costs ¥770 on the JR Oga Line.
