Komano-bikuni

Komano-Bikuni a female order of Japanese Beghards, or begging nuns, who accost travellers for their charity, singing songs to divert them, though upon a strong, wild sort of tune, and stay with travellers who desire their company. Most of them are daughters of the Jamabos (q.v.), and are consecrated as sisters of this begging order by having their heads shaved. They are neatly and well clad, and wear a black silk hood, with a light hat over it, to protect their faces from the sun. Their behavior is, to all appearance, free, yet modest. They always go two and two, and are obliged to bring a certain portion of their alms to the temple of the sun goddess at Isye. See M'Farlane, Japan, p. 219, 220.