noun
Archaic term for a beggar. Related to 薦被り (こもかぶり), a straw mat worn over the head, associated with beggars in historical contexts.
See also: 薦被り
江戸時代の文献には「御薦」という言葉が乞食を指して使われている。
In Edo-period documents, the word 御薦 is used to refer to beggars.
薦被り originally referred to a straw mat worn on the head, and by extension came to mean a beggar. 御薦 is a related archaic term for a beggar, likely derived from the same association.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The spelling 御薦 is associated with 薦 (straw mat) and the honorific prefix 御, possibly linked to the practice of beggars wearing straw mats (薦被り).