Raw skin - Namahage

Japanese: 生剝 - なまはげ

This is a folk event (nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property) held on the night of December 31st (formerly the night of Little New Year) in the Oga region of Akita Prefecture. Originally, it was one of the strange visiting deities that came on Little New Year, and had the character of a blessing deity. Young village men wear demon masks, straw raincoats and loincloths, wear straw sandals, and hold wooden knives in their hands, and visit houses throughout the village in groups of 2 to 5 people. They enter through the front door of the house chanting, "Woo, woo, where are the crying children? Where are the lazy brides and lazy husbands?", and, being careful not to step on the edges of the tatami mats, they bow to the Shinto altar, and after yelling wildly throughout the room, they are welcomed by the owner of the house.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

秋田県男鹿（おが）地方で12月31日の夜(かつては小正月の夜)に行われる民俗行事(国指定重要無形民俗文化財)。本来は小正月に訪れる異形の来訪神の一つで，祝福神的性格をもつものである。村の青年が鬼面をかぶり，蓑と腰巻をつけ，わら沓をはき手に木の刃物を持って，2～5人が一団となって村中の家々を訪れる。〈ウォーウォー，泣ぐ子いねぁがー，怠け嫁，怠け婿いねぁがー〉などといいながら，家の玄関から入り，畳の縁を踏まぬようにして神棚を礼拝，荒々しく部屋中に怒号したあと，家の主人のもてなしを受ける。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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