Umibōzu

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Color woodcut by Utagawa Kuniyoshi about an umibōzu near Kuwana

Umibōzu ( Japanese 海 坊 主 ) is a sea ​​monster from the Japanese popular belief.

The umibōzu is said to live in the ocean and capsize the ship of any sailor who dares to talk to him. The name of this spirit, which combines the Kanji for "(the) sea, sea" ( 海 , umi ) with the Kanji of " Buddhist monk " ( 坊 主 , bōzu ), possibly refers to the umibōzu being said to be a large one round head, similar to the shaved head of Buddhist monks. In other cases they are described as enormous yōkai appearing to castaways and fishermen. It is also believed that they were drowned priests who show their shaved heads and typically appear in prayer. Most often they are reported to have a gray, cloud-like torso and snake-like limbs.

See also

  • Isonade , another Japanese sea monster

literature

  • Allardice, Pamela. Myths, Gods, and Fantasy: A Sourcebook . Dorset: Prism Press, 1991. p. 209.
  • Setsuko (Ed.) Suzuki: 英語 で 話 す 「日本 の 心」 Keys to the Japanese Heart and Soul . Kodansha International 1996, ISBN 4-7700-2082-1

Web links