New Year’s Eve 2016: the ‘namahage’ evening ritual. The young men taking part in the ritual have gathered at the local community center, and the ceremony to see them off has begun. Four men wearing ‘kede’ sit in front of the ceremonial food which has been prepared for them. A village representative ritually purifies them, blowing on their gold and silver masks with ritual sake in his mouth. The men put their masks on inside the community center. After they have run through and rehearsed the sequence of events for tonight’s ritual, the representative says prayers for them at Shinzan shrine, and they go off round the local houses, visiting each one by one.

Mr. Ginichiro Seki has been kind enough to let us come into his house to see the ‘namahage’ question and answer ritual.

The shouts of the ‘namahage’ draw near.

Knock! Knock! (As they knock on the door, the ‘namahage’ stamp their feet in the porch, and then go inside.)

Namahage

Grrrr! Old man, how are you doing? Grrrr! Grrrr!

(The ‘namahage’ enter in and walk round the house.)

Namahage

Grrrr! Little children, I know you’re hiding here somewhere! Grrrr! Grrrr! I can smell you, but there’s no sign of you!!

Knock! Knock! Tap! Tap! (They bang on doors and posts in the house.)

Namahage

Old woman! How are you doing? Grrrr! Grrrr!

(A lady brings out a tray of festive food.)

Seki

Welcome ‘namahage’, please take a drink!

(The ‘namahage’ stamp their feet in front of the food and sit down.)

Seki

Happy New Year!

Namahage

How’ve you been this year?

Seki

I’ve been doing OK. Thank you for asking.

Namahage

Glad to hear it. You need to keep the evil spirits away this year! It was hard work getting here. There’s a bit of snow in the field and woods, but it’s piled up two or three meters thick up in the mountains, you know.

Seki

(Pouring out sake) I bet.

Namahage

Ummmm! This is good sake, eh old man?

Seki

Yes it is, isn’t it? It’s good. It’s made from Akitakomachi rice.

Namahage

Yeah, it’s not bad at all, is it! I like it! How was the harvest this year?

Seki

It was a good harvest.

Namahage

We need to purify this place so you have a good harvest next year as well!

Seki

Please. As you wish.

(He pours more sake.)

Namahage

Now, old man! I can’t see the grandchildren, where’ve they gone?!

Seki

They were here a while ago. They were here, I’m sure of it.

Namahage

Old man, you’ve not hidden them away have you?

Seki

Well, I wonder where they are. They were around here just now.

Namahage

You’re not supposed to hide them just because you adore them! I know they’re here because I can smell them!

Seki

You’ve got a good sense of smell, haven’t you?

Namahage

Yeah, we’ve got good noses, good eyes and good ears! Children, if you’re hiding we’re going to find you pretty quickly, you know! Old man, haven’t you been drinking too much? Are you in good health?

Seki

I’ve given up drinking for now. I overdid it before and drank too much. But I’m going start drinking again next year (Laughs).

Namahage

You’ve got to do what the doctor says, you know! Just a little bit of alcohol is OK, but you mustn’t overdo it! It’s bad for you!

Seki

Yes. I understand.

Namahage

We’re going to have another look round for the children. You’re pouring out sake to distract us, aren’t you? We’re going to have a good look for them and take them away!

(The ‘namahage’ stand up and stamp their feet.)

Namahage

Grrrr!

(They look round the house again.)

Namahage

Grrrr! Where have the children gone! Grrrr! Where are they hiding? Grrrr!

Seki

Namahage, please let me apologize. I’ll make sure the children study hard. (The ‘namahage’ give a blessing.)

Namahage

OK. We understand. Look after yourself, old man! We’ll be back again next year!　Grrrr! Grrrr! (They walk round house again and leave.)

Namahage

We’ve purified your home! Look after yourself!

Seki

Yes. I will.

Conversation with Ginichiro Seki
Every year, before the ‘namahage’ come, I have a wash to purify myself. I have a bath and then welcome the ‘namahage’ in. Every New Year’s Eve, this helps me get in the mood for when the ‘namahage’ come. Once they’ve gone, I think, ‘Well, that’s another year over!’ And then I’m ready to welcome in the New Year.

After that, we went to visit Mr. Saruta at his home. Mr. Saruta welcomed us in, with his wife, Kaori, and his little boy, Horo (5 years old).

Namahage

(The ‘namahage’ walk around inside, and sit down in front of Horo.)

Namahage

Grrrr! Do what your mother and father tell you! Make sure you do! I bet you spend all your time doing video games, don’t you?!

Saruta

[To Horo] You’re a good boy, aren’t you?

Horo

Yes.

Namahage

Are you really!! I hope so!! Grrrr! Grrrr!

Saruta

‘Namahage-san,’ please sit down. Make yourselves comfortable.

(The ‘namahage’ stamp their feet and sit down.)

Saruta

Little boy of the house. We’re waiting, we want you to pour some sake for us. We want to have a drink.

Saruta

[To Horo] You’ve been a good boy, have you?

Horo

Yes.

Namahage

The ‘namahage’ are watching you from up in the mountains, you know! Do you do what your mother and father tell you?

Horo

Yes, I do.

Namahage

Really!? Are you sure?

Horo

Yes, I listen to them and obey them.

Saruta

You must be thirsty. Please drink.

Namahage

By the way, old man, how is your business?

Saruta

Thank you for asking. It’s quiet in winter, but in the summer, things pick up with all the tourists here.

Namahage

Is that so! Glad to hear it. We’re protecting you from the evil spirits this year!

Saruta

Thank you. We really appreciate that.

Sakidachi

I heard something. This boy’s been talking too much at kindergarten. Not listening properly. Chatting too much.

Namahage

Whaaat! Is that true?!!!

Sakidachi

Maybe you’d better take him back to the mountains?

Namahage

Grrrr!

Saruta

[To Horo] You listen and obey the teachers, right?

Namahage

Did you hear that?! Is that true?!!

Horo

(Crying)

Kaori

[To Horo] Will you promise the ‘namahage’ that you will be good?

Namahage

You’re crying, that means you are not listening?

Saruta

[To Horo] Doing what you’re told is what grown-ups do. You know that, don’t you?

Horo

I’m listening. (Crying)

Kaori

Promise the ‘namahage.’

Namahage

You are going to pour out some more sake for us?

Namahage

Do you promise?

Horo

Yes. I promise.

Saruta

[To Horo] Will you do it properly? Next year you’ll be in elementary school, won’t you?

Namahage

Do what your mother and father tell you! Otherwise, we’ll come down from the mountains and take you away!

Horo

Yes (Crying).

(The ‘namahage’ stand up and stamp their feet.)

Namahage

We’ll be back again next year! Grrrr! Grrrr!

Saruta

Thank you very much for visiting!

Well, we’ve been lucky enough to see something pretty intense and action-packed! Please watch the video to see what happened!

Next time, we’re paying another visit to Mr. Saruta to get his thoughts on today’s events.

4. ‘The Rural Motherland of the Soul’