What is "ochimusha"

is a defeated warrior that fled the enemy.

The ochimusha is considered a low-class citizen, no longer at the level of a samurai, since he fled battle instead of committing seppuku. In some instances, it is said that to escape safely, those warriors hide themselves in mountain villages.

According to folklore, to become an Ochimusha, the warrior should be killed by farmers looking for his belongings and to take the reward usually offered for the severed head of enemies during the Sengoku period.

Instead of only occurring during battle times, samurais and aristocrats whose support is no longer needed can also became an Ochimusha, if attacked by the townspeople of the region under their protection. There are tales of samurai mansions being plundered.

A criminal that goes into exile is also subject to becoming an ochimusha.

In some areas of Nagano and Gifu Prefecture, Ochimusha are referred to as . They also used to be called in some parts of Kansai, but this term is no longer in use due to derogatory connotations.