Tradition: Japanese mythology
Alternative Names: Namahage, Amahage, Amamehagi, Namomihagi, Appossha
Category: Demon
The Myth
Namahage are frightening, demon-like yōkai who live in the mountains along the northern coast of the Sea of Japan. They resemble oni, with bright red or blue skin, wild hair, large eyes, enormous mouths filled with sharp teeth, and often horns growing from their foreheads. They wear straw leggings and raincoats and carry large blades.
Once a year, during koshōgatsu, the first full moon of the New Year, the Namahage descend from the mountains and visit villages. They go from house to house brandishing their knives and demanding to know whether there are any badly behaved children. They particularly enjoy frightening small children and newly married women.
Despite their terrifying appearance and behavior, Namahage are not purely evil. They descend from the mountains as messengers of the gods, sent to warn and chastise people who have become lazy or wicked. Their frightening visits are therefore intended to encourage villagers to behave properly.
The name Namahage comes from one of the questions they traditionally ask: “Have your blisters peeled yet?” During the cold winter, people who spent too much time sitting close to the fireplace could develop heat blisters. Namomi was a regional term for these blisters, while hagu means “to peel.” The two words eventually combined to form Namahage.
Similar supernatural figures are known under different names in neighboring regions. In Yamagata Prefecture they are called Amahage, in Ishikawa Prefecture Amamehagi, and in Fukui Prefecture Appossha.
Sources
“Namahage.” Yokai.com: The Japanese Yokai Encyclopedia. Accessed September 9, 2026. https://yokai.com/namahage/