柳田國男
The 20th-century folklorist Shinobu Orikuchi, student of the great Japanese folklore scholar Kunio Yanagita, was the first to bring the ancient concept of "marebito" to the attention of modern scholars, and it has been widely assumed that the "marebito" tradition died out long ago. However, remnants can still be found in some areas of Japan, such as Akita Prefecture, where the "Namahage" tradition is maintained.