Kabukimono

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 theatre (歌舞伎) as the founder of kabuki, Izumo no Okuni, took heavy inspiration from the kabukimono (歌舞伎者).

Kabukimono would often dress in flamboyant clothing, disregarding traditional colours such as light yellow and dark blue, often accessorised by wearing haori jackets with lead weights in the hem, velvet lapels, wide obi belts and even women's clothes.

Exoticism was characteristic and included items such as European clothing, Chinese hats, jinbaori vests made from Persian rugs.

Their katana would often have fancy hilts, large or square tsuba, red scabbards and were usually longer than normal length.

Cases of the gang members cutting people down simply to test a new sword (tsujigiri), or larger-scale violent incidents were common in areas where kabukimono could be found (particularly in large cities such as Edo and Kyoto).