Oga Ogres!

It was a nice day last Saturday, so we drove north to Akita prefecture to a city called Oga. No particular reason, apart from some awesome looking Oni in the area. These are not Oni per se, they are Namahage and though just as scary looking, are actually more pleasant, (if you overlook the skin-peeling habit). We first encountered them at a tourist information centre along the way and though we missed the entrance, we did manage to enter via the exit (much to the bemusement of a dude exiting.)

NOTE: I'm having some problems uploading images because Blogger in its infinite wisdom has decided to make it easier by making it way more difficult to do so!

I can now only do one photo at a time. Grrr! This will take forever...

A quick selfie of me being trampled. (SPOILER: I escaped.)

We found this poster on the way to the museum. At the tourist information shop, they convinced me to buy a ticket that would allow me access to the Oga Aquarium GAO and to the museum. Quite the deal, we spent 700 yen and saved about 1300! I'm going to forgo my aquarium pics until I can master the upload dilemma.

On the way there, there were Oni or Namahage on many billboards and adverts. Such as:

At the museum. TaaDaa!

What's in the bucket?

And yet another glitch and I can't center it. (Stupid new Blogger format.)

These sketches are awesome.

Check out the top statement on this one.

And now some theories as to how Namahage came to be: (Easier than Googling.)

Next we were entertained with a mini slideshow about Namahage. A nice opportunity to rest my weary bones.

The next chamber held hundreds of Namahage. WOW!

I found it interesting that different cultures from around the world had parallelled this same myth. Krampus springs to mind. Here are a few masks depicting their Ogres.

After the gift shop, we went next door to a neighbouring building and within was a storyteller (wearing a face-shield mask, natch). Alas though informed to do so, the crowd didn't exactly spread out.

Would you like to view the show? Filming was encouraged. It's a little dull at first, at least until the Namahage enter.

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YAY, yet another glitch. I can't just copy and paste an embedded video. I have to import it. (Ignore the above gibberish.)

Wish me luck...

So I have to type in the title of MY video. Okay, I guess that works.

All of the kids were freaked out and bawling except for one little girl who bravely watched the show. One Namahage approached her and asked if she was a good girl who obeyed her parents and wasn't lazy. She nodded agreement with a Hnn and the ogre left pleased.

At the gift shop, I wanted to buy some local sake and the proprietor asked whether we'd be going to the shrine or not. So she didn't sell me any in case I dropped it. (When we returned the joint was closed. Doh!)

There's a portal made of straw with instructions as to how to pass through for maximum auspiciousness. (I didn't go.)

It's pretty darned old.

Puppies!

I was feeling surprisingly spry so I trekked up the hill to an upper shrine. I made it about 3/4 of the way and gave up.

The path from there was far less appealing.

And that's about it for that joint. Pretty cool, eh?

In the parking lot.

On to our next destination.

BUT since this took me hours to complete, that's a tale for another day. Hopefully I can revert to the old Blogger successfully yet I fear that come July, I have no choice but to use this crappy method.

Oh before I go, I did buy a few items from the Museum giftshop. A clear file and a mask.

 

Oh and I made a little video of another item I purchased...

Next up...the site of my idol!