The Masterless Samurai[]
Ronin (浪人), translating as "wave man", is the Japanese term for a wanderer or drifter, and was the classification of a samurai without a lord or master to serve.
Whereas the Bushi (warrior) class of the samurai were looked upon with distinguishment and respect, Ronin were often looked down upon as riffraff and a disgrace to the warrior class. The reason behind this stigma was because, in accordance to the Code of Bushido, is expected to commit Sepukku upon if their master was defeated in battle or if he failed his master in order to maintain his honor. Samurai who did not follow this code were often seen as a disgrace for not having the courage to follow it, or they committed an act so shameful that they were dismissed from their lord's service.
The other reason for the disdain against ronin was because many would often turn to banditry and prey upon the peasants. After the Age of Warring States ended, many samurai who were either dismissed from service or on the losing sides of the war found themselves without employment, and with no other skills outside of combat, many became mercenaries, bodyguards or criminals.
However, despite the stigma against this classification, there have been examples of samurai who willingly renounced their service and class in order to pursue their own goals, such as the Musha Shugyo, the warrior's pilgrimage, or find another calling in their life. There have also been examples of ronin who were greatly honored for their deeds such as [1]Miyamoto Musashi and the Forty-Seven Ronin.