Hitotsume-kozō

Hitotsume-kozō

Hitotsume-kozō are roughly "the size of ten-year-old children," but otherwise "resemble bald Buddhist monks."

Their most distinctive feature, however, is a "single, giant eye peering from the center of the face, along with a long tongue, much like a Tsukomogami.

Hitotsume-kozō are relatively harmless creatures, content to "run about frightening people or telling loud people to be quiet."

Since many people consider an encounter with a [Hitotsume-kozō] to be a bad omen ... often [they] leave bamboo baskets in front of their houses, as these are reputed to repel the creatures. A reason for this may be that, in seeing the basket's many holes, the Hitotsume-kozō will see the basket as having many eyes, and run away jealous and ashamed at only having one.