New Years and Christmas

Christmas isnt so big in Japan, but new years is basically very similar where families get together and visit the local shrine or just spend time together at home. We went up to Akita to see some snow, visit a hot spring and check out the legend of the Namahage. Namahage are demons that visit the local peoples houses on new years and threaten to take naughty children away to the forest unless they promise to behave, then the parents give the Namahage sake and mochi. Namahage are played by the local single people. Literally scaring little kids into behaving, Love it.

We then hiked up the 999 steps to a shrine, not sure if the shrine is evil or not something about the namahage, but 999 steps is a bad number and supposedly created by the devil.

Almost to the top of the shrine there was a well where you check your reflection, if your reflection appears you wont die soon. Well is near the middle with the Tori Gate to the shrine on the left.

The shrine was really nice 5 small wooden shrines, on top of the small hike with a snowy background, we had the place to ourselves and were only 2 of a few people who had made the trek that day.

We were also able to check out the famous nyutou onsen, which was very beautiful and my first coed onsen. I think its coed because the water is super milky so everyone is pretty covered up.