Apologies if wrong place to post this, or this info is useless or old news but I was just watching this anime and thought this visual gag was way too reminiscent of Hitogata and is definitely a reference. Heres the link. Its at 3:38
I wonder if it's a parody of something else that was the original hitogata. or one of the ingredients of people's collective memory of hitogata
I was meaning to suggest the former, like having watched enough of the show and considering the context its definitely parodying something, and I can't imagine its pure coincidence. For me at least it suggests Hitogata is definitely real but most likely remembered wrong or not as creepy as remembered. Also it would mean its been around since at least the mid 80s.