It is a type of Tsukumo-gami (gods to a variety of things), and it is considered that a samisen (a three-stringed Japanese banjo) which had once been used by a master player had transformed into a specter after being thrown away.
付喪神（器物が変化した妖怪）の一種で、かつて名人に使われていた三味線が打ち捨てられ、妖怪化したものとされる。