Demon Slayer's Eeriest Villain Fears Tanjiro's Earrings For a Good Reason

Tanjiro earrings are traditionally passed down from generation to generation in Demon Slayer. The earrings are similar to paper talismans.

In the upper part there is a red circle with several lines extending from the circle in different directions in the shape of a flower. Below these lines is a large grey semicircle.

The name of the earrings, Hanafuda, also has its own meaning. Hanafuda are playing cards of Japanese origin, similar to Western style playing cards, and are used in many games.

No matter how cute the earrings look, they are obviously a source of horror for one of the strongest demons, Muzan.

This is because the earrings were earlier worn by the only person who, like no other, was close to Muzan's murder. This man was named Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

Upon meeting Muzan, Yoriichi was stronger and decapitated him, but it was not easy to kill such a strong demon, and Muzan managed to escape.

Yoriichi was the first demon slayer to invent and use the breathing technique from which the others evolved, and his Sun Breathing technique was used by the Kamado family.

Yoriichi became close friend of Tanjiro's ancestor, Sumiyoshi, after saving him from the demon's attack.

Sumiyoshi often watched as Yoriichi refined his technique and later created his own based on it, and it began to be passed down in the Kamado family from generation to generation.

Yoriichi left his earrings to Sumiyoshi as a souvenir and a keepsake when he left the Kamado family forever.

It is not known what fate awaited Yoriichi, but the Kamado family carefully kept the earrings for several centuries in memory of a close family friend who saved their ancestor.

Therefore, Muzan associates the earrings with something dangerous to his life. The earrings remind him of an encounter with a powerful demon slayer who instilled in him a fear of anyone who wears the accessory.