座ざ頭とう

noun

blind man; blind person

Historical term for a blind man, often associated with the guild of blind performers and masseurs in pre-modern Japan.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だい、座ざ頭とうは琵び琶わ法ほう師しや按あん摩まとして活かつ躍やくした。

  In the Edo period, blind men (zatō) worked as biwa-playing minstrels or masseurs.

noun

blind masseur; masseur (usually blind)

Specifically refers to a blind person working as a masseur, a common occupation for the blind in historical Japan.

• 座ざ頭とうに肩かたを揉もんでもらう。

  I have a blind masseur massage my shoulders.