55) Japan - 28. Tenome

The name literally translates to 'hand-eye,' and it's a yokai resembling an old man with only a nose and mouth on his face, and his two eyes located on the palms of his hands. It is depicted in Toriyama Sekien's Gazu Hyakki Yagyō, but its origins are unclear due to the lack of explanation. According to the Hyakki Yako Shūi, a man in Kyoto's Shichijō Kawara went to a cemetery known for frequent Tenome appearances as a test of courage. He was attacked by a Tenome and fled to a temple, but ultimately had his bones extracted, leaving only his skin. A legend states this. In Iwate folklore, it is said to be the vengeful spirit of a blind man murdered in a field. One interpretation suggests it originated from a pun, likening the way a blind person feels their surroundings with their hands to 'eyes attached to hands,' but this is not recognized as a definitive origin. It is presumed to be the motif for the arrow demon 'Yahaba' (4th image) from 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' and 'Pale Man' (5th image) from Guillermo del Toro's film 'Pan's Labyrinth' (5th image).