Kabukimono (傾奇者 (カブキもの)?) or hatamoto yakko (旗本奴?) appeared in Japan, between the end of the Muromachi era (AD 1573) and the beginnining of the Edo period, (AD 1603) and were ronin or commoners who claimed to be samurai in the direct service of the shogun. However, kabukimono were actually simply jobless ronin or men who had once worked for samurai families who, during the times of peace, formed gangs. Kabukimono would often dress in flamboyant clothing, combining colors such as yellow and blue, and often accessorizing by wearing kimonos meant for women as cloaks, or velvet lapels[1]. Kabukimono also often had uncommon hairstyles and facial hair, either styled up in various fashions, or left to grow long. Their katana would often have fancy hilts. It is also said that Izumo no Okuni borrowed heavily from the style and the personality of the kabukimono when she first started performing in Kyoto, which eventually led to the creation of the Kabuki theatrical form.
Kabukimono were often very violent and rude, doing things such as not paying at restaurants and stealing money from townsfolk. Cases of cutting down people simply to try a new sword, or large incidents of violence were common in areas where kabukimono could be found, in large cities such as Edo and Kyoto. Wrestling or dancing in the streets were also common. The peak of kabukimono activity was during the Keichō period (1596–1615), although also during that time, the bakufu (shogunate) became more strict, and the kabukimono faded away
