No, ronin do not exist today in their historical sense. The era of the ronin, masterless samurai in feudal Japan, concluded with significant historical reforms.
The Disappearance of Ronin
The existence of ronin was intrinsically linked to the samurai class and the feudal system of Japan. Once a prominent, albeit often challenging, part of Japanese society, these unaligned warriors became obsolete as the country modernized.
Ronin ceased to exist after samurai privileges were abolished in 1873. This significant event was part of the broader Meiji Restoration, a period of rapid political, social, and economic change in Japan. Although some violence continued for a short while after the restoration, the legal and societal framework that supported the samurai class, and by extension the ronin, was dismantled.
With the abolition of their privileges, the samurai class itself was dissolved, and former samurai, including those who were ronin, were integrated into other professions or became part of the common populace. The traditional way of life that defined the ronin was no longer sustainable or legally recognized.
