The Hyūga are renowned for possessing the highly coveted Byakugan, a kekkei genkai feared for the great visual prowess that it grants its wielder. The first ability of the Byakugan gives the user a near 360º field of vision, except for one blind spot at the back of the neck above the third thoracic vertebra. The second ability is being able to see through solid objects, and can use a degree of telescopic sight. The distance and the degree of telescopic sight varies from person to person, and can be improved. However, the Byakugan cannot see through certain barriers, such as the Four Black Fog Battle Formation. The third and one of the greatest uses of the Byakugan is the ability to see chakra, its flow, as well as the chakra circulation system inside the body with great detail.

Members of the clan are instructed in the use of the Gentle Fist style, which uses the Byakugan to view the opponent's Chakra Pathway System and deal precise blows to disable and impede the flow of chakra. Due to training in this style, Hyūga clan members tend to have excellent chakra control. This is emphasised in techniques that utilise this chakra control, as well as the nuances of the Gentle Fist Art.

It is said that this clan possesses more than one kekkei genkai, one of which grants them the ability to expel chakra from every tenketsu in their body, allowing them to fully utilise chakra with attacks.

The Hyūga clan is one of the five noble clans of Tsukigakure, the others being: Kyuketsuki, Hachurui, Ookami, and Metarumasuta. All members born into this clan possess the Byakugan, a kekkei genkai that gives them extended fields of vision and the ability to see through solid objects and even the chakra circulatory system, amongst other things, and expel chakra from any of the tenketsu in their body.

While not much is known of the clan's background, they are considered to be one of, if not currently, the most powerful clan in Tsukigakure. Their notoriety and prowess stretches far and wide, leading others to both praise and covet their abilities. During the latest Shinobi World War, an enemy-nin noted that they had a hard time against them during a previous war.

The clan is separated into two parts, the main house (Sōke) and the branch house (Bunke), a system that protects the secrets of the Byakugan from outsiders. The main house runs the family while the branch house protects it. The members of the branch house are branded with a cursed seal upon the third birthday of the heir to the main house. This seal gives the main house members absolute control over the branch members, because they can destroy the branch members' brain cells with a simple hand seal, or cause them great pain to punish them. This seal also makes sure the secret of the Hyūga's Byakugan is safe, because it seals the Byakugan after the wearer of the seal dies. Because they are essentially servants, simply because of their birth order or heritage, some branch house members are hostile to those of the main house.

In the wild, a woman raised several children in her on home. She protected them from any threat that rose against them. She knew that her life had been changed once she found a four year old door step with a blank look on his face. To match the look on his face was a strange green seal on his foreheaad; whomever left the boy also left a note in his hand. When she asked the boy for his name he gave her the note, which she took time to read:

Dear Kind Women,
I hear of your tales and how you take in the abandoned. Please, watch after my child. There is an issue amongst the Shinobi world. A jinchuriki arose who posed a threat to our home village as it rampages through Tsukigakure. Shinobi of all village band together to tame the demon, but to no avail. My son’s father has passed away in the heat of battle. I am going back into battle to gain vengeance for my husband. I will return once the deed is done and I rid the world of this demonic soul that claims to “Burn away all good.” The eight tails jinchuuriki shall die at my hands. If I don’t make it back please make sure my son knows that while this man’s family used to be a part of Tsuki, they are now our enemy. I’m sorry my son has no memory, I felt it was best if he didn’t remember us if we did not make it. It may only make the pain stronger. Please take care of my son in my absence.
Love The Mother of This Child

The women saw it strange that the mother left no name for her or her child. So she assumed that the mother only wanted to protect her child from the jinchuuriki if she had failed in the line of battle. The women unwrapped the child from the blanket to see that he wore nothing but a onesie with the word “Zelan” stitched on back. Thus he was named. She raised the boy telling that his parents died as hero’s only protecting the world. This was the women’s assumption due to the fact that his mother never returned. Hearing of his parents heroic deeds he vowed to train hard and live on his parent’s legacies. So he had the women train him in the art of the Ninja.

The boy rose up fast in skill. By the age of ten the boy had surpassed the skill of the women herself; when compared to a regular ninja, her skilled equaled that of a genin. With him not knowing how they died, Zelan had no motivation to kill the jinchuuriki that had claimed his parent’s life. So he grew stronger with his only goals being to live on his parents legacy and to grow strong and protect the women, and the other children of the house. He soon realized that there was nothing left for the women to teach him, so he planned to travel to the Village Hidden in the Glacier. He heard rumors of powerful Shinobi in The hidden Glacier village who could train him.

The day before leaving Zelan walk around the forest in which he had been living. He heard something from the surrounding trees. When he investigated, he discovered that there were two Shinobi fighting. He saw one man standing over the other, merciless pounding the other’s face in. Zelan was taught to help all. So he calls out to the man. “Hay! This fight is over. You have clearly won. There is no reason for you to continue your attack.” These words coming from his mouth caused the other male to turn around and face Zelan. “Children should really mind their own business. This has nothing to do with you.” Right after the man had finished talking, Zelan found himself in a crater in the ground. His entire body quivering in pain. With his great speed the man had appeared above Zelan and drove his entire body into the ground.

Zelan instantly jumped out of the crater in attempts to uppercut the male. His attempt was successful. Although he made contact, the man’s chin only slightly moved upward. With his fist still connected to the male’s chin, he lowers his chin angling it back at the ground. By this time, Zelan’s feet were back on the ground. The man’s chin becoming re-angled caused Zelan’s feet to dig into the ground. When his feet begin to dig into the ground Zelan looks down at them and then back up, only to make eye contact with this man. When he looked into the man’s eyes…he saw darkness. He saw a portal of darkness, full of drowning souls in which the man had engulfed. These people fell from the darkness and into a river of fire which roasted them.  One soul stood out, the soul of a women who’s spirit attempted to hug Zelan.

It was then that he snapped out of the trance that the man’s eyes had put him in. Zelan then fell to his knees shedding pure fear. Zelan then looked to the man as he turned his back on him. Zelan then falls to the ground fading out seeing the man walk away hearing nothing more except a crowing phoenix. Zelan later awoke confused. It was now that he realized that the night had fallen over the land. The trance he had fell victim to had lasted longer than he had truly thought.

Zelan returned home to tell his caretaker of his day. She believed him when he spoke of such a powerfully scary man. It was now that she showed him the note from his mother. When he read this thick veins grew on his face around his eyes. While he was born with white eyes this is the first time that he has activated his byakugan. This is when she tells Zelan of his Hyuga heritage.
With his mother never returning he knew that this beast had murdered his mother. Vengeance was the only thing on his mind at this point. He immediately packed his bags and headed for Hyougagakure. From this experience he also gained hatred for his own clan. He had learned that his family originated from Tsukigakure. Since the beast originating from there and there has been no outbreak of war from that village, he only assumes that they have not gained vengeance for the death of his parents. Now it was his job to get strong and rid the earth of this menace on his own.