Tazuna

タズナ

The bridge builder. Tazuna is a grey-haired, bespectacled man with a moustache. Upon his initial introduction, he wore a sleeveless V-neck shirt with an obi, pants, and a pair of sandals. He also carried a towel around his neck and wore a pointed hat. In Part II, Tazuna wore the same attire, including the towel; a habit that Inari has begun to mimic.
He resolved to build a bridge connecting the Land of Waves to the mainland to help restore its economic stability, which conflicted with Gatō's interests. He knew Gatō would attempt to kill him, but he could not afford proper protection. Consequently, Tazuna hired Team 7 under the false pretense of protecting him from bandits (this was classified as a C-rank mission, thereby reducing the cost). Unlike most of his fellow citizens, Tazuna was brave enough to defy Gatō's interests, although he was fully aware of the consequences. In honor of Naruto Uzumaki and his example of courage, Tazuna named the completed bridge the "Great Naruto Bridge".