There are many stories describing the origin of the Namahage Festival. A common one is Emperor Fu of the Han Dynasty brought five of the Oni (a demon like being) to the Oga peninsula to work.  After working non-stop the Oni were given a day off, and told they were allowed to do whatever they wished in the villages and would drink the villager’s sake and eat their roasted chickens.  Upon witnessing many villagers with scars on their legs from lounging around the fires, the Oni threatened the villagers, who quickly vowed to work harder and change their lazy ways (Yamamoto 1978, pg 102).

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Other stories explaining the origin of these rituals include demons brought overfrom China, shipwrecked sailors from far way lands, and mountain dwelling Buddhists overcome by the strictness of their beliefs dress up as demons before going on a rampage through the villages (Foster 2013, pg 306).

 

 

The term “Namahage” itself might form from a contraction of two words.  One word for the skin condition acquired when sitting by the heat (namomi, namamo), the second word is the punishment  of tearing off the sores (hagasu or hagitoru) in the Oga dialect.  (Foster 2013, pg 304).