ART | Sanpaku Eyes

sanpaku (三白), and it will tell you your fate based on your eyes.

What is sanpaku? Literally translated, it means “three whites,” which refers to how you can divide up an eye into pieces, with the whites taking up three of the four segments. Sanpaku is when you can see the white of somebody’s eye either above or below the iris.

Normally, that’s a pretty unremarkable thing that you might not even be able to pick up on. But according to one Japanese superstition, sanpaku might be a good indicator of your fate.

This superstition really took off in the west during the 60s when Japanese author George Osawa began predicting the deaths of famous American figures (Marilyn Monroe, JFK) based on their eyes. Since then, people have speculated about the connection between sanpaku and one’s fate.

If you buy into the superstition, then it really depend whether the whites of the eye are visible above or below.


It is believed to be a sign of imbalance whether emotionally or physically. It is often associated with depression or people with a tendency to be violent. So sanpaku is perceived as 'dangerous'.