Hyakume

In Japanese folklore there is a yokai known as hyakume, which means 'one hundred eyes.' This creature is about the same size as a human, but just a fleshy blob that is completely covered in blinking yellow eyes. Hyakume generally live in abandoned homes or empty temples. They are nocturnal because the daylight sun is far too bright for all their eyes.

Shigeru Mizuki, from GeGeGe no Kitaro

Hyakume are also very shy and tend to avoid human contact. They do like to guard the area they live from intruders and thieves though. If someone suspicious should arrive, one of hyakume's eyes will detach and fly towards the intruder, sticking to them for as long as they are in the area. When the danger is gone, the eye returns to the yokai.

Unknown artist

If threatened hyakume will jump out and attempt to scare any danger away. Given their unusual appearance this strategy tends to work well. At this point hyakume will slink back into the shadows again. They look very similar to a yokai called nuppeppo, the only difference being that a nuppeppo doesn't have eyes.

Yokai Mania

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