THE UMI ZATŌ

In Yōkai depictions, The Umi Zatō is depicted as a giant hōshi, or lute priest, standing above the sea holding a rod in the right hand and carrying a pipa on his back.

In books published in the postwar era, there has been the interpretation that they frequently appear off the coast of Sanriku, Rikuchū Province (now Iwate prefecture). They walk around on top of the water, threaten fishermen and beckon ships to make them capsize, and sometimes even swallow ships whole. There is also a theory that they appear above the sea taking on the appearance of a zatō, a member of the build personsDZ guild, to frighten people. However, it is said that if the umi zatōDZs words are answered properly and politely, it will go away.