Umibozu - Sea monster

A monster that is said to have appeared on the sea. According to "Seikaizokudan," it appears in the great ocean of the Western Sea, with the body of a soft-shelled turtle and a human face. It has no hair on its head, and the largest ones are 5 or 6 shaku (about 1.5 to 1.8 meters). When fishermen encounter it, they lose their catch. If they happen to catch one and try to kill it, it is said to shed tears and appear as if asking for help, so it seems to have been mistaken for a turtle. According to a story in "Kii Zatsudanshu," a black monk's head appears 3 or 4 ken (about 5 to 7 meters) out from the boat, appearing and disappearing between the waves. It is about the size of five or six human heads put together, with glowing eyes and a long bird-like beak, and its mouth is about 2 shaku (about 60 centimeters) long. Some theories say that Umibozu resembles an octopus, or that it is a fish that has transformed, such as a mullet that transforms into a sea lion, which then transforms into an Umibozu. "Tenchiwakumonchin" lists a monster called Umi-kozo, who has the appearance of a child and can walk on the sea, and is fast on his feet. He is said to be a person from Dragon's Palace, and whenever he steps out to sea, a strong wind is sure to blow soon. Various forms have been thought up depending on the imagination, but he was originally a sea god, and as faith in him declined, his terrifying nature was emphasized and he was transformed into a monster.

[Shoji Inoguchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

海上に現れたという妖怪(ようかい)。『斉諧俗談(せいかいぞくだん)』によると、西海の大洋に現れ、体はスッポンで、人の顔をしている。頭には毛がなく、大きなものは5、6尺（約1.5～1.8メートル）ある。漁師がこれに会うと漁がない。たまたまつかまえて殺そうとすると、涙を流して救いを求めるようにみえるというから、カメの姿を誤認したもののようである。『奇異雑談集』の話では、舟から3、4間（約5～7メートル）先に黒い入道頭が浮かび出て、波の間に見え隠れする。大きさは人の頭を五つ六つあわせたくらいで、目は光り嘴(くちばし)が長くて鳥のようで、口の大きさは2尺（約60センチメートル）ほどもあるという。海坊主をタコの姿に見立てたり、魚の化けたものだという説もあって、ボラが変じてトドとなり、トドがまた変じて海坊主になるなどともいう。『天地或問珍(てんちわくもんちん)』には海小僧という妖怪をあげ、形は小児で海上を歩くことがあり、足が速い。竜宮(りゅうぐう)の人だといい、これが海上に出ると、かならず近いうちに大風が吹くという。想像力によってさまざまな姿が考えられているが、本来は海神であって、その信仰が衰えるとともに、恐ろしさばかりが強調されて妖怪化したものである。

［井之口章次］

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