The Namahage:

agricultural Akamata Akita Akita Prefecture Amamehagi behavior bekke belief Bon Festival boys brides Bunkichi buraku called celebration ceremony costumes cultural custom dekasegi disguised district drink sake Ebisu establish event existence farmers girls gokai hage Hamlet Festival headship honke honke-bekke relationship Hori household head Household Household Household household members Iinomori Inari Shrine inhabitants inherited Ishikawa Prefecture Island Iwate Prefecture January January 14 Japan Japanese kami Kaneji Koshogatsu Kunio Yanagita labor land magobekke mahage maki man-god marebito married masks masqueraders Namahage festival Namahage observance night oaza Oga City Oga Peninsula old calendar organization Origuchi participate past percent performed Prefecture receive religious rice cakes rich harvest ritual Ryukyu Ryukyu Islands Santaro Sanzaemon shinrui Shinto Shogatsu social Sosenji spirits straw coats temple tion Today Ususue village visitors Wa-aw wakaze wife women worship Yanagita Year's Eve yoshi young men's association Zen Ikko Zen Zen