Tsunohanzō is a tsukumogami—an animated household object—depicted by Toriyama Sekien in Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro as a lacquered ceremonial washbasin (kakutsubo/tsuno-darai) turned uncanny. Once used in the Heian court for cosmetics and handwashing, the vessel is said to gain spirit through long use and human intent, filling with water at night to reveal and wash away written characters. Many portrayals reference the legend of Ono no Komachi washing papers to expose truth from falsehood.
Folklore & Legends
In the tale known as Komachi’s Paper-Washing, when papers were rinsed in the horned basin, forged characters dissolved and the true writing remained. Sekien drew on the Noh play Sōshi Arai Komachi, rendering the vessel itself as a spirited being. Specific local accounts are scarce; mentions come mainly from paintings and performance narratives.
Yokai Cards2
Horned Washbasin Hanzō across multiple art-style decks
An interpretation centered on Toriyama Sekien’s depiction of the horned washbasin figure. The rim of the jet-black basin rises like horns, and when lamplight is reflected on the clear surface, only deceitful characters added to a paper will blur and eventually dissolve away. As a tsukumogami of implements, it values human care and decorum, revealing its strange nature only when treated rudely. Rather than causing harm, it is said to expose hidden falsehoods. Echoing Noh and classical poetry, it is often shown alongside courtly cosmetics and writing instruments. Regional lore is scarce, with mentions largely confined to early modern picture compendia and encyclopedias.
Character Profile
This section is our own creative profile for storytelling. It is not historical fact or scholarship.
The diagram below is a diagnostic evaluation chart for Gazu-tan, Sekien Edition. The higher the value of each item, the stronger that characteristic is expressed.
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