shi shi mai

The name is "Shishi", legendary lion. We call them "Shishi
mai". Mai means "to dance". The guys put on the costume
and do traditional dance. They visit neighborhood' door to
door and dance to expel devils from their houses. Some
people give money to Sishimai at their door.

"Namahage" is Japanese traditional folkways which is
observed throughout Oga Peninsula, Akita Prefecture in
northern Japan. Originally it is said to be a ritual for
cleansing people's soul, and praying coming year to be a
good one. It is a kind of toshigami.

On New Year's Eve, a group of young villager men dressed up
as fierce demons or bogeymen, or Namahage, visit each
house in the village, interrogating loudly "any
misbehaving kids live here?" They then come up to children
in the house, to menace them telling not to be lazy or
cry, though little children bursting out crying is usually
the case. Then parents will assure Namahage there is no
bad child in their house, and treat refreshments to the
demons.

An obvious purpose of the festival is to encourage young
children to obey their parents and to behave, important
qualities in Japan's heavily structured society.