Name Meaning
Mokumokuren (目目連) translates roughly to “many eyes” or “continuous eyes.” It refers to a mysterious yokai made up of countless eyes that appear on torn shoji (paper doors).
- Moku (目) = eye
- Ren (連) = connection or group
Origin
- First recorded in Edo-period picture scrolls like the “Gazu Hyakki Yagyō.”
- Appears in abandoned homes or haunted inns.
- May be an embodiment of neglect and spiritual unrest.
Appearance
- A standard shoji screen riddled with hundreds of open eyes.
- Eyes may blink, follow intruders, or stay eerily motionless.
- Some depictions show bloodshot eyes or demonic irises.
Behavior & Myths
- Generally passive, but can induce fear or madness if stared at too long.
- Eyes may disappear once the paper door is repaired or burned.
- Acts as a spiritual warning sign for buildings that need purification.
Symbolism
- Represents surveillance, secrets, and unspoken guilt.
- A metaphor for places with residual spiritual energy or trauma.
- Seen as a minor warning spirit or unsettling curiosity.
