Raiho-shin

The demons that came to tea

From Krampus to Father Christmas’ naughty list, throughout history parents have used a certain season or event to frighten children just a little bit, to instil the idea that there may be consequences if bad children don’t behave themselves. As controversial as scare tactics may be in the modern day, the practice seems to have appeared in various countries independently, and is now embedded in the history and culture of many locations.

What may be considered the Japanese version of this phenomenon, has been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2018. ‘Raiho-shin’ means ‘deities that come visiting’, and refers to a ritual practiced annually in some parts of Japan. ‘Deities’ refers to village residents who don a terrifying costume, in order to look like an ‘oni’ (a Japanese demon or ogre) or another figure from local folk belief. They will then visit the community, bringing luck and happiness for a new year or season, and also give naughty children a good scare to put them back on the right track.

One fascinating aspect of Raiho-shin is the diversity of costumes and rituals found in various regions. From chilly northern regions like Tohoku, to Japan’s balmy southernmost islands, ten distinct variations on the tradition have been recognised by UNESCO.

(Source: PR Times)

The terrifying ‘Oga no Namahage’ hail from Akita prefecture in the north and they make their annual visit on New Year’s Eve. The costume consists of long unkempt hair, a large red or blue ogre mask with an angry expression, and clothing made from straw rope. They brandish wooden knives and visit every house in their area, shouting ‘any bad children in here?’. Their wild appearance is enough to give anyone a start, not just kids, so it’s easy to see how Raiho-shin has survived through the ages as an effective ritual.

Often the heads of the households will host a special meal for the deities, probably to the discomfort of any resident children in the house. But, children aren’t the only ones to get an earful from a disciplinarian demon, the visitors also make a point to look out for lazy adults. It is even said that the name Namahage comes from the word ‘namomi’ which refers to blisters that can form after spending too much time warming up by the fireplace instead of working. Namahage means to rip off the blisters and start doing something productive, even if it means going out into Akita’s icy winds.

(Source: PR Times)

The Raiho-shin rituals from other northern locations have a lot in common with Akita’s traditions, but the practitioners of each area have their own unique costumes to create a fearsome appearance while carrying out deific duties. The Yoshihama no Suneka from Iwate prefecture wear various masks such as ogres, horses or dragons. Sometimes they wear black masks with hooked noses to complement their straw capes, and they make their way around local households on January 15th for ‘Koshogatsu’ (Little New Year). Their coming is signalled to the nervous children waiting indoors with an eerie clacking sound as they walk around. This extra touch is achieved through attaching abalone shells to the costumes, which are collected at the nearby shore.

However, when it comes to the rituals which emerged in the south of Japan, the tactics observed are a bit different. Rather than personally visit the houses of the local community, in some villages they roam the streets looking for naughty kids to admonish.

In particular, the Okinawan island of Miyakojima becomes overrun with supernatural beings called ‘Paantu’ during their yearly festival. Those who volunteer to be Paantu will wear large wooden masks with small features, and cover their whole bodies in mud and leaves. They chase the local people around town, trying to make children cry, and daubing everything and everyone they see in sacred mud.

Although it didn’t make it on UNESCO’s list, perhaps the most extreme example of scaring children into being good is Koyaura’s autumn festival in Hiroshima prefecture. The menacing oni are called ‘Makka’ and wear bright red clothing with colourful manes attached to their terrifying demon masks. These visitors actually go as far as to give older children a whack with a stick when they don’t placate the demon with a promise to be good from now on.

(Source: PR Times)

Scenes of children and babies crying and screaming as their own parents hand them over to fearsome demons can be a shocking sight to those unaccustomed to the Raiho-shin tradition. But these important rituals have been handed down for centuries, and according to UNESCO, help shape the identities of local children and bring communities together through preparing and performing these unique practices.

So as the nights get colder and we all feel a bit lazier, remember to listen out for the rattling of abalone shells, or maybe a voice in the distance yelling, ‘any bad children here?’ If you start spending more time by the fire and less at your desk, before you know it, there could be a Namahage waiting outside your door.