NAMAHAGE in Tokyo

NAMAHAGE in Tokyo is an attempt to reinterpret the functions of traditional deities and folklore, and implement these in the city of modern era. Focusing on the contemporary urban relevance of the NAMAHAGE ritual, NAMAHAGE in Tokyo seeks to reconstruct and implement the NAMAHAGE system in a modern city. It translates and reinterprets for the urban context the ritual´s functions, including maintenance of rural community through mutual surveillance, initiation into adulthood, and reinforcement of family bonds. Making the city their habitat and evolved in adaptation to individual areas like Akihabara, Harajuku, and Sugamo, the “urban NAMAHAGE” identify “bad children” (=adults in need of discipline) in each neighborhood based on the data accumulated by mutual surveillance via social media as well as other networks of surveillance spread across the city. When they emerge on New Year´s Eve, these NAMAHAGE enforce discipline by mind hacking, taking full advantage of sensing and VR technologies and bringing growth, happiness and blessings to the people of the city.