HEN NA IE

HEN NA IE (Japanese: 変な家, lit. “A Strange House”) is a Japanese mystery project created by web writer Uketsu. It originated as an online article and YouTube video, later expanded into a best-selling real estate–themed mystery novel.

Overview

The project first appeared as an article published on the web media site Omocoro on October 12, 2020. A video adaptation titled “A STRANGE HOUSE～Mysterious Story of Real Estate” (【不動産ミステリー】変な家) was released on October 30, 2020 on YouTube. By November 2022, the video had surpassed 10 million views, earning widespread acclaim.

Following the success of the video, a novel version was released by Asuka Shinsha on July 20, 2021. As of April 2024, the novel had sold more than 1.5 million copies.

A sequel, “Strange House 2” (変な家2 ～11の間取り図～), was published on December 19, 2023. A live-action film adaptation premiered in Japan on March 15, 2024.

In November 2024, Strange House 2 ranked No.1 on the Oricon Annual Book Ranking 2024, while the HEN NA IE paperback edition topped the Oricon Annual Bunko (paperback) Ranking, achieving a double crown.

A “Complete Edition” (完全版) was released on October 17, 2025.

Plot Summary

Prologue

The story follows Uketsu, an occult journalist and freelance writer, who receives a peculiar floor plan of a second-hand house in Tokyo from his acquaintance Yanaoka. Yanaoka tells him that “something is strange about this house.” With help from his architect friend Kurihara, Uketsu begins to analyze the layout and formulates a chilling hypothesis. The floor plan features a children’s room surrounded by enclosed spaces and what appears to be a hidden passage, raising disturbing questions about the house’s true purpose.

Beginning

Later, Uketsu writes an article about his investigation. After its publication, he is contacted by a woman named Yuzuki Miyae, who claims to recognize the house and its residents. She believes her husband may have been involved in incidents connected to the so-called “Strange House” in Tokyo. Yuzuki shows Uketsu another suspicious floor plan—this time of a house in Saitama—that also contains a mysterious space adjoining a child’s room.

Middle

Uketsu and Yuzuki visit the Tokyo house to conduct an on-site investigation. During their exploration, Kurihara calls to warn Uketsu that Kyōichi Miyae, the man Yuzuki claims to be her husband, was never married—and that the woman with Uketsu is an impostor. Overcome with dread, Uketsu realizes Yuzuki’s true motives: she is not related to Kyōichi but is actually connected to the couple who once lived in the Tokyo “Strange House.” Her real goal is to find her missing sister, Ayano, who was drawn into the house’s sinister secrets.

Climax

Ayano is discovered to be held at a “main house” belonging to her family, where a hereditary curse is said to persist. To appease this curse, the family performs a horrifying ritual known as the “Left Hand Memorial” (Hidarite Kuyō)—in which a child is raised without exposure to sunlight until the age of ten, and then a human left hand is severed as an offering.
Uketsu and Yuzuki manage to rescue Ayano and others trapped in the ritual. The main house burns down shortly after, and several charred bodies are found at the site. Investigators also discover multiple headless corpses in the basement—each missing the left wrist.

When questioned, Ayano and her husband insist they never committed any murders, raising a chilling question: who was responsible for the body found in the nearby Tokyo woods?

Ending

Although Ayano is rescued, she remains psychologically trapped by the cult’s brainwashing, convinced the ritual must continue. Her mother, Yoshie, comforts her gently—then glances toward a nearby homeless man. It is revealed that Yoshie herself had been carrying out the ritual killings in Ayano’s place. Her charity work serving food to the homeless had been a cover for selecting victims for sacrifice.

The ritual requires three victims, implying that although the case seems resolved, the killings will continue. The story closes on this deeply unsettling note, leaving readers with a lingering sense of dread.

Characters

Major characters

• Uketsu (雨穴)
  The narrator and protagonist of the story. He is a horror writer who becomes involved in the mystery after being approached by his acquaintance Yanaoka, who seeks his advice about a house with a puzzling floor plan.
  In the novel and manga adaptations, Uketsu is portrayed as a freelance writer specializing in the occult. In the manga version, the character is depicted as a long-haired, androgynous figure.

• Yanaoka (柳岡)
  Uketsu’s acquaintance, who is considering purchasing a second-hand house in Tokyo. He asks Uketsu to investigate the strange layout of the property, which becomes the starting point of the story’s mystery.

• Kurihara (栗原)
  An architect working for a major design firm. A friend of Uketsu’s, Kurihara is an enthusiast of the occult and possesses extensive knowledge across many fields.
  He also appears in other works by Uketsu, including the author’s next project, The Strange Painting (変な絵).

Minor characters

• Katabuchi Family（片淵家）
  • Katabuchi Kiyoshi（片淵清吉）
    The founder of the modern Katabuchi family.
    A respected patriarch known for his strict discipline and sense of duty.
    Father of Fumino.
    
    
  • Katabuchi Fumino（片淵文乃）
    Daughter of Kiyoshi.
    Married into the Shigeji branch, continuing the Katabuchi lineage.
    Mother of Yoshie.
    
    
  • Shigeji（重治）
    Husband of Fumino.
    A calm and practical man who supported the family’s foundation.
    Father of Yoshie.
    
    
  • Katabuchi Yoshie（片淵喜江）
    Daughter of Fumino and Shigeji.
    A central figure of the Katabuchi household, balancing tradition and compassion.
    Mother of Yuzuki and Ayano.
    
    
  • Katabuchi Keita（片淵慶太）
    Husband of Yoshie.
    A sincere and hardworking man, devoted to his wife and daughters.
    Father of Yuzuki and Ayano.
    
    
  • Katabuchi Yuzuki（片淵柚希） / Miyae Yuzuki（宮江柚希）
    Eldest daughter of Yoshie and Keita.
    A gentle, thoughtful woman who values harmony.
    Married into the Miyae family, continuing the familial connection between the two houses.
    
    
  • Katabuchi Ayano（片淵綾乃）
    Younger daughter of Yoshie and Keita.
    Strong-willed and caring, she often supports her sister and upholds the family’s spirit.
    Mother of Hiroto.
    
    
  • Katabuchi Hiroto（片淵浩人）
    Son of Ayano.
    Grandson of Yoshie and Keita.
    A bright child representing the newest generation of the Katabuchi family.
    
    
• Miyae Family（宮江家）
  • Miyae Chie（宮江千鶴）
    Eldest daughter of the Takauma family, married into the Miyae family.
    A dignified woman who serves as the bridge between two distinguished lineages.
    
    
  • Miyae Soichiro（宮江宗一郎）
    Husband of Chie.
    Head of the Miyae family.
    A man of strong presence and leadership, father of Maita, Momota, and Shigeji.
    
    
  • Miyae Maita（宮江麻太）
    Eldest son of Soichiro.
    A serious and capable man who continues his father’s business legacy.
    Married to Misaki.
    
    
  • Miyae Misaki（宮江美咲）
    Wife of Maita.
    A gentle and refined woman, mother of Yoichi.
    
    
  • Miyae Yoichi（宮江洋一）
    Son of Maita and Misaki.
    A courteous young man who inherits the Miyae family’s composure and sense of duty.
    
    
  • Miyae Momota（宮江桃太）
    Second son of Soichiro.
    Known for his warmth and kindness, he maintains close ties with the Katabuchi family.
    Father of Keita.
    
    
  • Miyae Shigeji（宮江重治）
    Third son of Soichiro.
    Married Fumino Katabuchi, uniting the Katabuchi and Miyae lineages.
    
    
• Takauma Family（高間家）
  • Takauma Nami（高間潮）
    A woman of elegance and insight, married into the Miyae family through Chie.
    Her lineage adds prestige and strength to the family heritage.
    Additional Branches
    Katabuchi Wives and Descendants（片淵家の分家）
    The Katabuchi patriarch took several wives over the years, expanding the family lines:
    
    
• Main Wife（本妻） – Mother of Kiyoshi.
  Second Wife（第二夫人）, Third Wife（第三夫人）, Fourth Wife（第四夫人）, Fifth Wife（第五夫人） – Each contributed to the extended branches of the family, giving rise to multiple sons who continue the Katabuchi name across regions.
  Their descendants — the first through sixth sons（長男～六男） — maintain regional estates and family responsibilities under the Katabuchi name.
  
  
  • Miyae Kōhiko（宮江公彦）
    Husband of Misaki.
    A composed and intelligent man who provides steady support to his family.
    
    
  • Miyae Fushin（宮江父親）
    Father of Keita.
    A strong figure whose values deeply influenced his son’s character.

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