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.
江戸時代、座頭は琵琶法師や按摩として活躍した。
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.
座頭に肩を揉んでもらう。
I have a blind masseur massage my shoulders.
From 座 (za, 'sitting') + 頭 (tō, 'head'), originally referring to the head of a guild of blind performers. The exact derivation is uncertain, but the term became associated with blind individuals in such guilds.