Well-known across Japan, the namahage are regarded as ogres or demons that strike fear in the heart due to their wild, loud shouts and frightening appearance. However, the namahage, who descend from the mountains every New Year's Eve, were once worshipped by villagers as gods or spirits who purge away the sins and impurities of the old year, blessing them with a happy new year ahead. There is a restaurant in Akita City where you can experience this namahage culture firsthand.

Located on the corner of a small street, only a 3-minute walk from the west exit of Akita Station, Akita Nagaya Sakaba Restaurant by Akita Station with Massive Namahage Masks is a restaurant where you can enjoy the appeal of Akita’s namahage culture. Patrons are warmly welcomed by massive red and blue namahage masks on the exterior wall, along with lanterns used in the Akita Kanto Festival, a summer tradition here.

This restaurant's popular service, in which costumed namahage join the drinking parties between 7 PM and 9 PM, is a real treat for customers. It recreates the events of New Year's Eve! In the lanterns’ dim light, thunder rumbles and snowflakes dance ... and suddenly, the moment arrives.

In addition to the namahage, this restaurant offers many other ways to enjoy aspects of ancient culture. The entrance is the original door of a tea room, which was lowered to show that all people were equal inside the tea room during Japan’s Sengoku (Warring States) period—a time when the master-servant relationship was paramount. This principle was incorporated into the entrance to show that "everyone is equal" inside the restaurant.

The restaurant is a two-story building. It features counter seating around a sunken hearth, private tatami rooms (seating up to 10), and tatami seating in a large hall, recreating the atmosphere of an old-time merchant's house. The restaurant is lit by miniature bulbs and lanterns, with outstanding atmosphere. Especially popular is the counter seating, where you can hear anecdotes about Akita from the proprietor sitting by the sunken hearth.

The counter seats are quite special. "Do you understand Akita dialect?" asks the proprietor, gently, as he grills seasonal vegetables and serves miso soup over the sunken hearth. As you watch him, listening to the conversation, "hawkers" with fresh seafood and vegetables purchased at local markets go around to the tables and explain the ingredients in Akita dialect. One of the pleasures of this experience is that food is cooked and served just the way you like it.

The menu features not only Akita's local cuisine such as iburigakko pickled radish, hatahata sushi, and kiritanpo in sweet miso sauce, but also a variety of dishes cooked over a hibachi or charcoal grill, as well as creative original dishes. The menu features more than 150 items! Enjoy them alongside daily recommendations by the "hawker" servers.

The restaurant’s most popular dish is kiritanpo hot pot. This local specialty also appears on the restaurant's course-based menu. The dish consists of Hinai-jidori chicken broth, large tampo skewers made the traditional way (freshly cooked rice pounded, mashed, and wrapped around a long Akita cedar skewer before grilling), chunks of Hinai-jidori chicken, and vegetables. Simmering in the hotpot, the tampo skewers soak in the delicate soy sauce flavor.

If you visit Akita, a renowned rice-producing region, you should definitely not miss out on Japanese sake. A wide selection of local Akita sake is available, and the special tasting set (featuring 3 or more varieties) allowing you to compare different kinds of sake is also recommended. The most popular labels are Amanoto and Chitosezakari, but if you can’t decide, please consult with the staff.

A staff member wearing a woven bamboo hat strikes a stone against a flint as each customer leaves the restaurant to pray for a safe journey. "Wishing you good health and happiness." Striking a flint on your way home is sure to bring some kind of happiness... ♪