Motoori Norinaga
Polymath Minakata Kumagusu, in his essay states "Even in our country (Japan), the various snakes that dwelled by water and were feared by people seemed to have been called "mizuchi," or 'master of the water'". Here Minakata draws on Edo Period scholar Motoori Norinaga' suggestion that the "-chi" signified an honorific. As stated above folklorist Yanagita emphasized the meaning of "chi" as "spirit".