It was once tradition that local young bachelors would dress up as Namahage. It made them feel like they’d become adults. However, nowadays those bachelors are leaving Oga to pursue higher education or enter the workforce. As a result, married men, returning family members, or people who are otherwise outsiders to the region are taking up the mantle. Some regions have men over 70 playing the role, and others even let curious tourists wear the costume.

The circumstances of the families that would have hosted the Namahage have also changed. More families are declining Namahage visits due to a lack of preparation, and the number of children being born has also declined. Some regions have ceased their Namahage customs altogether because their households have no children at all.
Where is the Namahage custom headed going forward? Will they become relics of the past as time marches on?

Taiko drum performances featuring Namahage began with the “Namahage-Daiko Densho-kai” in 1987 as a way to display the tradition to more people on days outside of New Year’s Eve. “Onga” is one such group that has inherited the Namahage-Daiko tradition. Consisting entirely of Oga-born youths aged anywhere from their teens to their thirties, Onga has toured and performed anywhere from northern Hokkaido to southern Iriomote Island, and beyond to countries like Taiwan and Slovenia. It may be difficult to convey the significance of the custom this way, but the rousing performances certainly show the appeal of the Namahage to a new generation.

Recent times have seen some regions revive their own Namahage traditions for the first time in 20 years. Prior surveys took place to gauge interest and even those who responded with “Only At The Front Door” gave in to nostalgia and welcomed the Namahage warmly into their homes. UNESCO took this as an opportunity to re-examine the customs as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2018, and the following year 92 regions engaged in traditional Namahage events.

It’s not enough to just have more people don the costume - awareness from those receiving the Namahage is crucial to keeping this tradition alive. What are Namahage and where did they come from? Asking those questions and tracing the thread of history will show a powerful bond among the people of Oga, and the pride of those who lived its golden era will become the link between the Namahage and the future.