Namahage: Should You Really Be Afraid Of These Japanese Demons?

Yoshitaka Kobayashi (far right on the picture above) is the creator of Namahage Satokagura. They are a group whose performances mix traditional drums, dance, and embodying traditional Japanese spirits. They perform in Japan, but also have made appearances in other countries such as France and Taiwan. In this interview, Mr. Kobayashi tells us about keeping and transmitting traditions and the power of emotions.

Could you please explain what your job consists of?

I’m the creator and director of Namahage Satokagura. It’s a music group that bases itself on a tradition called namahage, which is from the Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture. On the night of December 31st, the namahage comes down from the mountain to the town. They are messengers of the kami [Japanese deity] living in the mountain. At first, they are a group of six, then they divide themselves into two groups of three and go from house to house. The main difference with other traditional Japanese festivals is that it’s not celebrated as a big group but in each home.

I wanted more people to know about this tradition, so I thought about a way to bring it to the outside world. That’s how I got the idea to mix the traditions of namahage and traditional Japanese drums. Namahage Satokagura is a music group doing this new form of art.