Namahage Museum

Namahage Museum is a specialized museum dedicated to Namahage, featuring an extraordinary collection of more than 150 Namahage masks that were actually used in communities across Oga City. The word "Namahage" is said to have come from a dialect form of a phrase meaning "to peel off namomi"—the heat blisters that form on hands and feet from sitting too long by a hearth. The Namahage tradition was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 1978 under the name "Oga no Namahage," and in 2018 it was also inscribed as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage "Visitor Deities: Masked and Costumed Deities." The museum introduces the origins of Namahage, Oga’s unique natural and cultural environment, and folk tools such as dugout canoes through displays, videos, graphic panels, and computer search terminals. A top highlight is the live demonstration by the world’s only Namahage mask carver, showing hand-carving craftsmanship up close. As the carver says, "If people go out of their way to buy one, it has to be beautiful—and scary," and the masks truly balance fierce power with refined, dignified features. Another popular attraction is the "Namahage Transformation Corner," where visitors can dress in authentic costumes and become Namahage. It is currently suspended due to COVID-19 prevention measures, but a commemorative photo corner has been set up instead. Access is convenient: about 15 minutes by Namahage Shuttle from either JR Hadata Station or Oga Station.