Oboroguruma (The Hazy Carriage)Oboroguruma (after Sekien’s Iconography)

A depiction of the Oboroguruma based on Toriyama Sekien’s image and Edo-period readings: a half-transparent ox-drawn carriage appears on a hazy night, its blinds blocked by an enormous face. It is said to echo rancor from Heian-era carriage quarrels, yet avoids naming individuals or tying to single incidents, instead embodying social tensions from festivals and spectacles that possess objects. It is also understood as part of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, startling people through a double sign of sound (creaking wheels) and form (an ox cart with a face). Direct harm is not always told; it manifests as a token of dread and ill omen, prompting witnesses to recoil. As an object-yokai, old carts and festival gear set the stage, and disputes over space or viewing cause the tale to arise. Excess specifics are avoided, with the hazy night and cart sounds serving as its marks of appearance.