# Kabukimono

> Source: [Kabukimono](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono)
> Clipped: 2026-07-06

Kabukimono

Gangs of samurai in feudal Japan

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[![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Okuni_with_cross_dressed_as_a_samurai.jpg/250px-Okuni_with_cross_dressed_as_a_samurai.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Okuni_with_cross_dressed_as_a_samurai.jpg)

The *kabukimono* were a group that dressed in a peculiar style and spoke in a vernacular which matched their often outrageous behaviour.

***Kabukimono*** (傾奇者) or *[hatamoto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatamoto "Hatamoto") yakko* (旗本奴) were [gangs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangs "Gangs") of [samurai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai "Samurai") in [feudal Japan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feudal_Japan "Feudal Japan").[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_note-1) First appearing in the [Azuchi–Momoyama period](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azuchi–Momoyama_period "Azuchi–Momoyama period") (between the end of the [Muromachi period](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muromachi_period "Muromachi period") in 1573 and the beginning of the [Edo period](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo_period "Edo period") in 1603) as the turbulent [Sengoku period](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sengoku_period "Sengoku period") drew to a close, *kabukimono* were either *[rōnin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rōnin "Rōnin")*, wandering samurai, or men who had once worked for samurai families who, during times of peace, formed street gangs. Some, however, were also members of more prominent clans—most notably [Oda Nobunaga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oda_Nobunaga "Oda Nobunaga") and [Maeda Toshiie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maeda_Toshiie "Maeda Toshiie").

## Etymology

The term *kabukimono* is often translated into English as "strange things" or "the crazy ones", believed to be derived from *kabuku*, meaning "to slant" or "to deviate"; the term is also the origin of the name for [kabuki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuki "Kabuki") theatre (歌舞伎) as the founder of kabuki, [Izumo no Okuni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izumo_no_Okuni "Izumo no Okuni"), took heavy inspiration from the *kabukimono* (歌舞伎者).[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_note-Frederic-2) The kanji used are [ateji](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ateji "Ateji"), used for their pronunciation, and not their inherent meaning.

## Description

*Kabukimono* would often dress in flamboyant clothing, disregarding traditional colours such as light yellow and dark blue, often accessorised by wearing *[haori](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haori "Haori")* jackets with lead weights in the hem, velvet lapels, wide *[obi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obi_(sash) "Obi (sash)")* belts and even [women's clothing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_(entertainment) "Drag (entertainment)"). Exoticism was characteristic and included items such as European clothing, Chinese hats, and *jinbaori* ([surcoats](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surcoat "Surcoat")) made from [Persian carpet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_carpet "Persian carpet").[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_note-3)[[4]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_note-telia-4) *Kabukimono* also often had [uncommon hairstyles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihongami "Nihongami") and facial hair, either styled up in various fashions or left to grow long. Their [katana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katana "Katana") would often have fancy [hilts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_sword_mountings#Tsuka "Japanese sword mountings"), large or square *[tsuba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuba "Tsuba")*, red [scabbards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_sword_mountings#Saya "Japanese sword mountings") and were usually longer than normal length. Some *kabukimono* even used extremely long *[kiseru](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiseru "Kiseru")* pipes as weapons.

## Gang activities

*Kabukimono* were known for their violent and unsociable behavior, such as not paying at restaurants or robbing townsfolk. Cases of the gang members cutting people down simply to test a new sword (*[tsujigiri](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsujigiri "Tsujigiri")*), or larger-scale violent incidents were common in areas where *kabukimono* could be found (particularly in large cities such as [Edo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo "Edo") and [Kyoto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto "Kyoto")). Wrestling, loud singing and dancing in the streets were also common, as was fighting between gangs after dark. The peak of *kabukimono* activity was during the [Keichō](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keichō "Keichō") period (1596–1615), although also during that time, the *[bakufu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakufu "Bakufu")* (shogunate) became more strict, and the *kabukimono* faded away.[[5]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_note-5)

## Later influence

It is thought that the modern [yakuza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakuza "Yakuza") originated from either groups of *kabukimono* or bands of villagers gathered to fight their abusers, though other scholars believe that the yakuza origins are to be found in the *[machi yakko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machi_yakko?action=edit&redlink=1 "Machi yakko")* (町奴), a form of private [police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_in_Japan "Police in Japan").[[4]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_note-telia-4)

## See also

* [Bōsōzoku](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bōsōzoku "Bōsōzoku")
* [Hooliganism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooliganism "Hooliganism")

## References

1. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_ref-1) ["かぶき者とは"](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E3%81%8B%E3%81%B6%E3%81%8D%E8%80%85-1155358). kotobank. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
2. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_ref-Frederic_2-0) "Kabuki" in Frederic, Louis (2002). *Japan Encyclopedia*. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
3. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_ref-3) ["Persian rug"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220509082501/https://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/syuzou/meihin/senshoku/item06.html). Archived from [the original](https://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/syuzou/meihin/senshoku/item06.html) on 2022-05-09. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
4. [1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_ref-telia_4-0) [2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_ref-telia_4-1) ["The Yakuza - the japanese mafia"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090308191157/http://web.telia.com/~u31302275/yakuza.htm). Archived from [the original](http://web.telia.com/~u31302275/yakuza.htm) on 2009-03-08. Retrieved 2009-05-13. "Yakuza, Kabukimono, Machi-Yakko"
5. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono#cite_ref-5) Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan; 1983, Kodansha America