Nezumi Kozo (folk hero)

Nezumi Kozo, whose real name was Nakamura Jirokichi, was a notorious thief in late Edo-period Japan, active mainly in the early 19th century. Folk tradition holds that he stole from wealthy samurai households and distributed portions of his takings among the poor, earning him a Robin Hood-like reputation, though historical evidence for this generosity is largely legendary rather than documented fact. He was eventually captured and executed in 1832, and in later popular culture and folk belief he became associated with themes of wealth redistribution and fortune, particularly among common people.