Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Namahage in L.A..
2 views
Skip to first unread message
aesthete8
Jan 17, 2012, 12:19:10 AM1/17/12
to
Ben Bullock
Jan 21, 2012, 9:12:54 PM1/21/12
to
On Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:19:10 -0800, aesthete8 wrote:
> http://rafu.com/news/2012/01/japanese-food-and-sake-event-in-universal-
city/
The wikipedia article about this is quite funny. It looks like it was
vandalised but it seems to have been this way for a long time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namahage
Quote:
Young children; lazy ones are often the blight of many parents’
existence. For the parents in Japan’s Oga Peninsula, Akita Prefecture in
northern Honshu, Japan, there is a solution: the infamous Namahage; where
an annual ritual takes place on the 31st of December. Dozens of young
single men (traditionally) from various regions in Akita Prefecture,
Japan dress like the Namahage demon. Each portrayer adorns an eerie demon
mask (various colors depending on region), a straw raincoat and waistband
and carries a scary tool made of wood depicting a knife/stick/ various
weapon; and a pail. They re-enact the folklore dressed as these demons
and march around the village in hopes of scaring prepubescent kids into
total parental submission. Going door-to-door, they sweep the village
threatening to drag any spoiled disobedient children. As the story goes,
a child's lazy spirit (even lazy adults) that is disobedient is dragged
into the snow covered mountains away from their parents. Knowing the
story very well, upon barging into each home, the young children is
immediately frightened by loud roars as they are chased, kids typically
scream with agony and fear. This prompts parents to sooth their kids
worries of being taken away by the Namahage, letting them know that
they’ve been behaving.
The Namahage then encourage the children to keep studying and working
hard, as a result the kids make a promise, or a New Year’s resolution to
behave.
--
sci.lang.japan FAQ/language tools: http://www.sljfaq.org/afaq/
> http://rafu.com/news/2012/01/japanese-food-and-sake-event-in-universal-
city/
The wikipedia article about this is quite funny. It looks like it was
vandalised but it seems to have been this way for a long time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namahage
Quote:
Young children; lazy ones are often the blight of many parents’
existence. For the parents in Japan’s Oga Peninsula, Akita Prefecture in
northern Honshu, Japan, there is a solution: the infamous Namahage; where
an annual ritual takes place on the 31st of December. Dozens of young
single men (traditionally) from various regions in Akita Prefecture,
Japan dress like the Namahage demon. Each portrayer adorns an eerie demon
mask (various colors depending on region), a straw raincoat and waistband
and carries a scary tool made of wood depicting a knife/stick/ various
weapon; and a pail. They re-enact the folklore dressed as these demons
and march around the village in hopes of scaring prepubescent kids into
total parental submission. Going door-to-door, they sweep the village
threatening to drag any spoiled disobedient children. As the story goes,
a child's lazy spirit (even lazy adults) that is disobedient is dragged
into the snow covered mountains away from their parents. Knowing the
story very well, upon barging into each home, the young children is
immediately frightened by loud roars as they are chased, kids typically
scream with agony and fear. This prompts parents to sooth their kids
worries of being taken away by the Namahage, letting them know that
they’ve been behaving.
The Namahage then encourage the children to keep studying and working
hard, as a result the kids make a promise, or a New Year’s resolution to
behave.
--
sci.lang.japan FAQ/language tools: http://www.sljfaq.org/afaq/
0 new messages