Namahage

Two village men in straw capes and demon masks knock on doors across the Oga peninsula shouting "are there any crying children here?". The head of the household welcomes them, serves sake and vouches for his family’s conduct. The name comes from namomi, the blotches left by a winter spent crouched by the hearth: tearing them off means driving out idleness. Listed by UNESCO as intangible heritage in 2018, the visit is a blessing more than a prank.