In the Oga municipal area, Namahage culture, marine life, coastal landscapes, and regional cuisine offer a range of ways to explore. Planning involves both set dates and natural conditions: the Namahage Sedo Festival takes place over three days in February, while the flat rocks at Uの崎海岸 are exposed at low tide. Oga Station and the Oga Ogare roadside station also provide useful information for getting around and finding food.
Namahage Culture and Its Dates
The Namahage Sedo Festival brings together the Shinto Saitousai ritual and a traditional Namahage event. Saitousai is held on January 3 at Shinzan Shrine in Kitaura, Oga City. The traditional event began in 1964 and is held every year on the second Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in February, also at Shinzan Shrine. The two components therefore take place on different dates. If you plan to attend the festival, check the schedule for the relevant year before your trip.
The Namahage Museum offers another way to learn about the tradition: more than 100 Namahage figures and over 150 Namahage masks are on display. Visitors can try on Namahage costumes in a dedicated area. Shinzan Shrine is surrounded by cedar trees and preserves a religious atmosphere passed down since ancient times. Mount Shinzan has long been a pilgrimage site associated with mountain worship. Together, these places and collections provide insight into different aspects of Namahage culture, from religious traditions to masks and costumes.
Marine Life, Coastline, and Landscape
At GAO Aquarium, you can observe and learn about a variety of marine life, and feed the fish. This offers a focus on marine life alongside the cultural themes surrounding Namahage. Uの崎海岸, on the southern side of the Oga Peninsula, offers a different view of the sea: it stretches for 1.5 kilometers. At low tide, flat rocks extending approximately 200 meters out to sea become visible. Visitors can walk across the tidal flats, play in the shallow coastal area, and collect shells. Conditions and access require care; the tides determine which rocks are exposed.
Grassland shapes much of the landscape on Mount Kanpuzan. Its appearance is maintained through regular controlled burning and mowing. Paragliding is also possible at Kanpuzan, and there is a paragliding school in the municipality. Coastal visits and views across grasslands can therefore complement cultural experiences and activities in the air, without requiring a single set itinerary for the day.
Regional Cuisine and Getting There
At hot spring resorts and local restaurants in Oga, Ishiyaki is prepared by cooking seafood over a wood-fired stone grill in front of guests. The dish combines local seafood with a distinctive cooking method. The Oga Ogare roadside station is also located in the Funakawa area, at the terminus of the JR Oga Line. There you can find regional products, especially fresh seafood, as well as a restaurant and light meal options.
Oga Station is the terminus of the JR Oga Line and the usual stop for visitors arriving in Oga. As timetables and train connections can change, check current travel times before setting out. The Japanese garden Saiun-an was established near the station in autumn 2023; it is closed in 2026. Take this status into account when planning your visits.
Discover more destinations: Akita, Kazuno, Kosaka, Yuzawa, Uwamuki, Noshiro, Yokote, Yurihonjō.
For the broader travel overview: Akita Prefecture.
