Shinzan Shrine — Namahage Costume Rituals

**Sedo Festival experience:** The Namahage Sedo Festival (柴灯まつり) attracts 10,000+ visitors over three nights. Arrive by 17:00 to secure viewing position near the shrine stage (performances start 18:00). Namahage descend the mountain at 18:30, 19:30, and 20:30 (three descents per night). The torchlit procession through snow is the visual highlight. Dress for -5°C to -10°C; standing outdoors for 2+ hours is cold. Hot amazake and grilled mochi are sold at festival stalls. **Festival nights compared:** Friday and Saturday nights are most crowded (weekends). Sunday is slightly calmer but still busy. The ritual itself is identical all three nights — choose based on your schedule. Weekday attendance (if the second Friday is not a public holiday) offers less congestion. **Non-festival visits:** Outside February, Shinzan Shrine is rarely visited, offering solitude and forest ambiance. The small museum displays 10-15 Namahage masks, straw capes, and wooden knives. A priest is occasionally present to answer questions (Japanese only). The shrine's torii gates and cedar forest are photogenic year-round — autumn (October) adds red/orange foliage, winter (December-February) adds snow. **Shrine protocol:** As with all Shinto shrines, bow before passing under the torii gate, cleanse hands and mouth at the temizuya (water basin), bow twice before the main hall, clap twice, pray, bow once. Offerings (賽銭, saisen) are typically ¥5 or ¥50 coins (good luck numbers). Photography is permitted except inside the main hall. **Integration with Oga itinerary:** Combine Shinzan Shrine with Namahage Museum (5 minutes away) and Oga Aquarium GAO (20 minutes) for a full-day Oga Peninsula cultural-nature tour. The bus loop (Namahage shuttle) connects all three sites but runs infrequently (3-4 per day) — check schedules or rent a car. **Cultural depth:** The Sedo Festival's name derives from saitō (柴灯, bonfire) — traditional New Year fires to purify and welcome deities. Namahage's role is to embody yamagami (mountain gods) descending to villages to bless crops and discipline households. The festival blends Buddhism (exorcism chants), Shinto (shrine rituals), and folk animism (demon-gods). This syncretism is typical of Japanese religious practice.