In the evening, young men who are going to dress as Namahage gather together at a meeting place and wrap themselves with kede (straw rain capes).
Then they are presented with the Namahage masks and food dedicated to the Namahage. Sacred sake is dedicated to the Namahage. The men move to Shinzan Shrine and get ready to receive the spirit of the Namahage. Invested with the Namahage in body and soul, the young men set out from the shrine.
At last, they visit the homes.
The first Namahage (Sakidachi) knocks at each door and asks for permission to enter the house.
※If the house has experienced some misfortune in the year, or there is a sick person in the house, Namahage will not enter the house, but have a small ceremony at the gate and move on to the next house.
When Namahage go into a house, they run around the house, growling “Any crybabies here?” “Does the woman of the house get up early?” “Any lazybones here?”
The man of the house calms the Namahage down, and serves them a meal and sake.
The Namahage question the head of the household about the family’s condition and harvest.
The Namahage pray for the family’s good fortune and harvest for the coming New Year, and performs ceremonial steps (shiko) before leaving.
The Namahage stamp 7 times when entering the house, 5 times before being served food and sake, and 3 times before leaving.
When Namahage leave the house, they warn “Be good in the New Year” to the family, and “Obey your parents, or I’ll take you with me!!”to children.
Namahage go from house to house.
People carefully pick up the straw, which falls from the Namahages’ kede because it’s said that it is good for preventing sickness and preserving health when twisted around an afflicted part of the body. It used to be left where it fell overnight and picked up the next day.
After Namahage finish going around the houses, they return to the Kankitendo Shrine again, twist the kede they wore around the pillar and visit the main hall of the shrine.
They also twist the kede around a Kaya tree, which is said to be over 1000 years old and planted by legendary monk Ennin near the Kankitendo shrine.
