In form this spectre is a child of ten years or so, usually a bald-headed young Buddhist monk, but its face is
dominated by its one huge eye. Like many obake who are largely human in appearance, the
hitotsume-kozō enjoys using its monstrous attributes to surprise and frighten people, and loves sassing
the humans it meets, telling them to "be quiet!" or greeting them with other childish chides and mockery.

Sometimes said to be spirits of disease that appear on the eighth of the month, the one-eyed boys can be
repelled by hanging baskets in doorways; the cycloptic little monsters see the basket's many holes as a vast
amount of eyes, and run away in jealousy, ashamed of only having one.