The Sailor Tokuzō and the Umibōzu – Utagawa Kuniyoshi (c. 1845)

A giant black silhouette with pale round eyes rises from the stormy sea. In this striking print, Utagawa Kuniyoshi depicts the umibōzu, the “sea monk”, looming over the boat of the sailor Tokuzō. Its huge shapeless body, an almost abstract black mass, makes this one of the most modern-looking images of Japanese prints.

According to the legend told in the cartouche, Tokuzō set sail on the last day of the year, defying the sailors’ taboo. The umibōzu rose from the waves before him, but the sailor stood his ground without fear, and the monster vanished.

The print belongs to the series Tōkaidō gojūsan tsui, “Fifty-Three Pairs for the Tōkaidō Road”, in which Kuniyoshi, Hiroshige and Kunisada illustrated a legend for each station of the road. Kuwana, the port from which boats crossed the bay, naturally called for a sea monster.

About the umibōzu

The umibōzu is a black giant with a smooth, round head who rises from calm seas at night to capsize boats. Learn more in our guide to Japanese yokai.

• Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861)
• Date: c. 1845
• Series: Tōkaidō gojūsan tsui (Kuwana: the story of the sailor Tokuzō)
• Format: vertical ōban

Discover more demons, ghosts and spirits in our yokai print collection.