天皇陛下が退位になるため、今年のゴールデンウィークがなんと１０年連休（僕は土曜日も働いてるので、自分は９連休です）。最初の日曜日、妻と一緒に秋田県の男鹿半島の旅を計画した。秋田県生まれのなまはげを会いに行くことに決定。毎年の２月に真山神社でなまはげ菜灯（せど）祭りが開催される。あと大晦日に町の若者がなまはげに扮して、町中の家を訪れ、”悪い子いね～か？”という行事も行う。青森市から男鹿市にある真山神社は車で約４時間半の距離ですから、朝早く起きて、６時半くらいに出発した。
The first torii to Shinzan Shrine.
真山神社行きの最初の鳥居。
Even the public restrooms have Namahage on the doors for Men and Women.
公衆トイレにもなまはげが居る。
A map of the area. We do not plan on climbing the mountain though.
真山周辺の地図。私たちは真山の登山するわけではない。
First, we must pass through the Niomon or Nio Gate.
最初は仁王門を通らないっと。
The Nio statues, guardians of the shrine.
仁王様。
We must walk up the stairs to get to the main shrine.
階段を上って本堂に行く。
Looks like even in Akita Prefecture, dugout canoes were made.
秋田県でも一本の木でカヌーが作られたみたい。
Entrance to the mountain path next to the main shrine.
登山入口が真山拝殿の隣にある。
Building that houses the portable shrines.
神輿を保管する建物。
Portable shrines / 神輿
Stairs leading up to the Yakushi-do.
階段の上にあるのは薬師堂。
Prayer board hanging area / 絵馬掛所
The Namahage prayer boards look very cool.
なまはげの絵馬はカッコイイなと思う。
Namahage masks which you can wear for a photo op.
被ってもいいなまはげの面。
Not one to pass up an opportunity to do so.
体験出来るなら被るしかない。
Namahage fortune / なまはげおみくじ
My fortune was good and also included this dove for harmony and peace.
なまはげおみくじは吉でした。そしてはとが入って、平和を象徴する動物です。
And received my shrine seal from Shinzan Shrine.
そして真山神社の御朱印をゲット。
The Namahage shuttle bus.
なまはげシャトルバス。
Namahage in the parking lot.
駐車場でもなまはげが車を見守ってる。
What's this?
これはなんだ？
It's a Namahage egg!
The Namahage is everywhere. Even on the post box.
なまはげはあちこちに居る。ポストにも。
Our next stop was the Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum where the New Year's Eve Namahage ritural will be enacted.
次行く場所は男鹿真山伝承館。ここで大晦日に行うなまはげの行事を再現する。
Fortunately, an English explanation was available for the Namahage performance. It also gives a little explanation about the Namahage. The explanation is a little long but I have provided it below. I have taken the liberty of correcting some of the grammatical errors for your benefit. I'm not going to translate the following in Japanese.
[Only Shinzan area's Namahage doesn't have horns. It is said because they are a messenger of the god. In the Shinzan area, a group of three people, two groups in total separately visit houses one by one. Two Namahage and one sakidachi, a man who helps the Namahage as they visit the villager's homes. This is because the Namahage doesn't enter a house where there was a passing of a relative or a birth of a child in the year. The Namahage detests the uncleanliness and the impurity.
Following the tradition in the Shinzan area, the Namahage stomps 7 times at the entrance before entering the house. Then, when the Namahage enters the home, they try to find the children and the wife. They cry out in a loud voice, "Are than any crybabies around?", "Is there any lazy wife?" Meanwhile, Namahages are served meals and sake by the head of the household. Then, they stomp five times before settling down in front of a meal. The Namahage begin to talk with the head of the household and ask about the harvest and the family of this year. After finishing the questions and answers, the Namahage stomps three times before leaving the table. Then, they start to look for the lazy children and the wife all over the house.
The total number of the stomps (7+5+3) is 15, which is an auspicious number, symbol of the full moon. Also the reason why the Namahage speaks loudly is to exorcise the evil spirits from the house. The straw that falls off the Namahage's body are not cleaned up until the next day because it is believed that god's spirits dwell in them. You are allowed to pick up the pieces of the straw for good fortune.]
The sakidachi speaking with the head of the household.
先立ちが家の大黒柱と話する。
The Namahages looking for bad children and lazy wives.
なまはげが悪い子となまけものの奥様を探してる。
After the Namahages leave, the wife of the household comes out and concludes the explanation of the ritual and thanks the visitors for coming.
なまはげが去ったあと、家の奥様が現れ、最後の説明と訪れたお客様にありがとうと感謝の言葉を申し上げる。
And of course we had to check out the Namahage Museum which was located next to the Folklore Museum.
もちろんなまはげ館も行かないっと。伝承館の隣にあるので、なまはげのパフォーマンスのあとに行きました。
Hanging out with a Namahage.
なまはげと仲良くになる。
Man in the process of making a Namahage mask.
職人さんがなまはげの面を作ってる最中。
We then watched a fifteen minute video about the history of the Namahage in Oga.
１５分くらいのビデオを見て、男鹿のなまはげの歴史や行事など。結構面白かった。
I have now become a Namahage.
自分もなまはげになりました。
Namahage Ern / なまはげアーニー
Unfortunately, my wife didn't want to dress up as a Namahage/
残念ながら自分の妻はなまはげに扮したくなかった。
Now, to drive around the peninsula. We will heading towards Cape Nyudo and will probably have lunch there as well.
さて、これから男鹿半島を回ります。これから目指すのは入道崎。そこでランチも食べる予定。
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