Namahage (生剥) in traditional Japanese folklore is a demon-like being, portrayed by performers wearing hefty ogre masks and traditional straw capes (mino) during a New Year's ritual of the Oga Peninsula area of Akita Prefecture in northern Honshū, Japan.

The frightfully dressed performers, armed with deba knives (albeit wooden fakes or made of papier-mâché) and toting a teoke (手桶, "hand pail" made of wood), march in pairs or threes going door-to-door making rounds of people's homes, admonishing children who may be guilty of laziness or bad behavior. Offers of sake and small gifts are given to Namahage as they dispel negative spirits from temples, homes, and businesses.