
Instead of building a sandcastle, someone built a monster.
It’s pretty normal for parks in residential neighborhoods in Japan to have a sandbox for kids to play in. This being Japan, where good manners are always important, most kids usually clean the area up a little before they go home, knocking down whatever they built and giving the sand a quick smoothing so the next person who wants to play can start with a more or less blank slate.
But when Japanese Twitter user @nil_singer was out for a stroll the other day, he came across a playground where someone’s sandbox creation was still intact. That might sound like a heartwarmingly whimsical sight, but what was waiting in the sandbox wasn’t a sandcastle…
誰だよ公園でガチったやつ…… pic.twitter.com/o19VwfW5N6
— nil@なんか歌ってる人 (@nil_singer) May 28, 2023
…but a sandface.
“Who made this crazy thing…” wonders @nil_singer in the tweet, but many commenters were of the mind that this was some sort of self-aware entity yearning to break free from its sandy prison.
“Well that’s gonna cause some childhood trauma.”
“Kids gonna cry if they see that.”
“It looks like it’s about to rise up from the earth.”
“Feels like something from Attack on Titan.”
“Pretty sure this shows up in the Monogatari anime.”
“I’ve seen this before…in The Mummy.”
“That’s definitely High Priestess from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.”
Since it’s important to know exactly what kind of monster you’re dealing with, @nil_singer later put it to a poll to determine what was going on, with the following results:
● It’s the Mummy: 38.2 percent of votes
● It’s Gaara the sand shinobi (from Naruto): 33 percent
● It’s Sandman (from Spider-Man: 21.4 percent
● It’s the sand monster from Koyomimonogatari: 7.4 percent
?
— nil@なんか歌ってる人 (@nil_singer) May 28, 2023
All kidding aside, it really is an impressive piece of sand art, with even contours for the jawline and forehead. It must have taken a lot of time and effort to get everything just right, so it’s too bad that the first reaction it provokes is to close your eyes and run away in terror.
Source: Twitter/@nil_singer via Jin
Photos: Twitter/@nil_singer
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

There’s a real-world Pokémon Sandshrew Park in Japan, and it’s adorable!【Photos】
Terrifying Pokémon fan art fails to win card design contest, succeeds at scaring everyone【Photos】
Which of these three terrifying characters do you want as the mascot of Osaka’s World Expo?
Legendary RPG-style shield found on Japanese beach, Twitter tries to figure out who the hero is
Are 500-yen noodles at Akihabara Ramen Center a great find or cheap miss?
KFC offering all-you-can-eat fried chicken in Japan every Wednesday starting in mid-summer!
A secluded British mansion in Chiba is a hidden holy land for afternoon tea lovers
Stunning central Japan wisteria festival is like a purple fantasy straight out of a Ghibli movie
Fake police phone scam also highlights dumb stereotype about how foreigners speak Japanese[Video]
Secret Starbucks sausage customization sparks sweet joy in Japan[Taste test]
History’s largest force of Samurai Colonel Sanders deploying to KFC Japan branches
Japanese convenience store sandwich becomes a hot topic on Reddit, but is it any good?
We stuff our faces with Wednesday night all-you-can-eat fried chicken from KFC Japan
KFC Japan goes beyond its all-you-can-eat deals and is now offering free fried chicken!
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
Tokyo government organizes food truck event to clear out delinquent/homeless teen gathering area
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Nine amazing off-the-beaten-path cherry blossom spots in Japan for yaezakura and shidarezakura
When will the cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Japan this year?[Forecast]
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says