Editing Kabukimono

{{Evil Organization|name=Kabukimono|fullname=Kabukimono|alias=Kyoukaku|origin=Japan|foundation=1596|headquarters=Edo, Kyoto and Osaka, Japan|commanders=Various|crimes=[[Vandalism]]<br>
Mass [[Murder|murder]]<br>
Assault<br>
Robbery<br>
Theft|type of villain=Arrogant Gangsters}}

'''''Kabukimono''''' (傾奇者) are the people and groups who existed from 1596 to 1643. They ignored the social conventions of the time in Japan, preferring to dress flamboyantly and deviate from the norm. The word "Kabukimono" itself meant "eccentric person" at the time, but on the other hand, it also referred to people who took advantage of the social trends that prevailed. They were once collectively given the derogatory name ''Yakuzamono'' (やくざ者), which later became the prototype for [[Yakuza]]. They were similar to regular hooligans, but many aspects of their several ideas were inherited by Yakuza.

==Biography==
In 1596, it became popular in urban areas such as Edo (currently Tokyo) and Kyoto, mainly among those who served the samurai families. Many of them liked to wear flashy outfits, such as hakama with animal skins sewn together, or women's kimonos worn like a cloak. In addition to their clothing, many of their possessions were also foreign to the social climate of the time. Many of those described as Kabukimono formed cliques and engaged in violent behavior such as overcharging for food and drink, robbing people of money and goods, breaking sliding doors of other people's houses, stealing goods and killing or attacking people they did not like. They also engaged in low culture, preferring dangerous, outrageous games that involved death and injury.

It said that they valued the faith of their own allies and had a spirit of sparing their lives; for example, they would not have betrayed their friends even if their own lives were in danger. This attitude toward life, apart from their actions, seems to have won them sympathy and admiration, and as the existence of Kabukimono became known to the public, cases occurred in which townspeople, samurai, and court nobles became Kabukimono.

Many of them were servants of the warrior families, whose lives were poor and precarious, and they lived their lives by attempting to plunder and loot whenever they saw an opportunity to do so during battles. Against this background, the behavior of the Kabukimono at that time is considered to represent a kind of confrontation with the common sense and power and order of the world at that time.

By the beginning of the 17th century, most of the Kabukimono had been disbanded or executed by the shogunate, and groups called ''Kyoukaku'' (侠客) would then arise in urban areas.

==Rise and demise of Kyoukaku==
By 1610, the new Kabukimono called Kyoukaku began to appear in Edo, Kyoto, and Osaka. The word "Kyoukaku" itself is meaning "one who frustrates the strong and helps the weak", but it was used a term of endearment for Kabukimono. At first, Kyoukaku was used to represent ''Bakuto'' (博徒), ''Hatamoto-yakko'' (旗本奴) and ''Machi-yakko'' (町奴) with its original meaning, but eventually Kyoukaku simply became a generic term for them.

Like the regular Kabukimono, they liked to dress flamboyantly and were involved in various villainies. In addition, it occurred among the young samurais and servants of {{W|Hatamoto}}, and {{W|Chōnin}}, rather than the servants of the samurai families, and spread its influence in the urban areas.

The Shogunate suppressed the Kyoukaku multiple times: the execution of 300 in Kyoukaku in August 1612, the suppression of Bakuto in 1655, and the capture of some 200 Kyoukaku in October 1686. After 1640, the main figures of the Kyoukaku died one by one by committing seppuku, and In 1686, a large-scale capture and execution of the Kyoukaku took place again. It became clear to the public that Kabukimono would be charged with a felony, and Kabukimono did not appear publicly.

==Types of Kabukimono/Kyokaku==

===Machi-yakko===
Machi-yakko are the people formed by Chonin and unemployed samurais. After [[Otori Ippei]] and his group (called 大鳥居一派; Otorii-ippa) emerged as the Kabukimono of Edo around 1610, the custom of Kabukimono became popular and its influence extended to the Chonin. They were the recipients of the unemployment of samurai and Chonin in various regions due to the lack of battle after the political system was settled by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Like the Kabukimono, they favored flashy costumes and worked evil act. But on the other hand, they also unofficially took on jobs similar to temporary employment. They are said to have been enemies of hatamoto-yakko and have been carried out several assassinations and raids against each other.

===Hatamoto-yakko===
Hatamoto-yakko are the people that arose mainly in Edo, which was composed of Hatamoto's servants and young Hatamoto warriors, and was also called ''Roppou'' (六方) because there were six representative groups. They also were formed under the influence of Otori Ippei and his group. It had the antagonistic relationship with Machi-yakko.

====Shiratsuka-gumi====
Shiratsuka-gumi (白柄組) is the group of the Hatamoto-yakko groups, and it is not known whether it is actually Daisyojingi-gumi or Yoshiya-gumi until the present. They are said to have had almost all of their possessions in white, carried white-handled swords, wore white leather hakama, and rode white horses.

====Roppo-gumi====
''Roppo-gumi'' (六方組) is the general term of the six groups that were most represented in Hatamoto-yakko. They were active from 1658 to 1673. The following six groups were known as Roppo-gumi:

*Daisyojingi-gumi (大小神祇組)
*Teppo-gumi (鉄砲組)
*Sekirei-gumi (鶺鴒組)
*Yoshiya-gumi (吉屋組)
*Touken-gumi (唐犬組)

===Bakuto===
Bakuto are the people making a living by gambling. They earned their winnings through gambling using hanafuda and dice. Some of the customs that originated from Bakuto were later inherited by Yakuza. [[Han-Gure|Bakuto]] still exists currently and is frequently policed.

==Individuals==

*[[Otori Ippei]]
*[[Mizuno Nariyuki]]
*[[Kagazume Naozumi]]
*[[Yamanaka Genzaemon]]
*[[Miura Kojiro]]
*[[Shiga Niemon]]
*[[Touken Gonbei]]
*[[Banzuiin Chobei]]

==See also==

*[[Yakuza]]
*[[Han-Gure]]

==Trivia==

*{{W|Kabuki}} is influenced in artistic taste from Kabukimono. In 1603, {{W|Izumo no Okuni}} created a dance called ''Kabuki-Odori'' (かぶき踊り) based on customs of Kabukimono, which became popular in Japan and led to the later Kabuki.
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