The document provides background on the origins and history of yakuza in Japan. Following unification under the Tokugawa shogunate in the 1600s, many samurai became ronin or masterless warriors. Some turned to crime and formed gangs known as kabuki-mono. Over time, yakuza developed traditions such as tattoos, rituals, and a code of honor based on bushido. After World War 2, yakuza expanded their illicit operations and political influence, growing into large organized crime syndicates that continue to be a prominent force in modern Japan despite anti-gang laws.

1. Rohit Sidhu

2. Background
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Sengoku Jidai (Warring States Period) - from
the mid-15th century to early 17th century
Defined by nearly constant military conflict
Unification of Japan under Oda
Nobunga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokukgawa
Ieyasu
Tokugawa Shogunate established in 1600
(Battle of Sekigahara)/1603 (appointment of
Shogun) – start of peace time
Excess of military forces (samurai class)

3. Ronin
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500 000 samurai left jobless, despite casualties
suffered during the Imjin War
Many were well educated and readjusted to life
in market society as merchants, profiting from
expansion of domestic trade from Sakoku policy
Ronin – wandering samurai without a master
chose other paths to survive
Some became bandits (kabuki-mono)
Others became peddlers (tekiya) and gamblers
(bakuto)

4. Bushido
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Literally way of the samurai
Yakuza identify their code of conduct with that
of the samurai
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Violent death as honourable and poetic
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Giri – obligation/duty
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Ninjo – compassion/emotion

5. Kabuki-mono
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Literally the crazy ones
Gangs composed of former samurai during
peace time
Bandits groups looted towns and villages as
they wandered throughout Japan
Some groups designated as hatamoto-yakko
(servants/bannermen of the shogun) also
became violent due to idleness
Inspiration for Japanese kabuki theatre tradition

7. Mythical Origins
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Machi-yokku (servants of the town) – civilian
police force
Folk heroes who rose up to defend against
bandits, tightly-knit groups
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Gamblers in their spare time (bakuto)
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Legend/romantic ideal of yakuza origins
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Shapes perception within yakuza as ninkyou
dantai (chivilarous organizations)
Versus common perception as bouryokudan
(violent groups)

9. Bakuto
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Ran illegal gambling houses and brothels
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Played dice and card games
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Used abandoned temples/shrines
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Commonly hired by government during Edo
Period to cheat construction and irrigation
workers out of their wages for a percentage
Expanded into loan sharking and other activities
Modern yakuza who make a living off gambling
still call themselves bakuto

11. Yakuza Etymology
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Cards games commonly played with kabufuda
(gambling cards) or hanafuda (flower cards)
Deck of numbers 1-10, 40 cards total
Oicho-kabu – Japanese version of blackjack
objective for a total score of 19
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Players dealt 3 card
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Ya (8), ku (9), za (3) – worst hand
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Became common saying for something useless
or bad luck
Ended up being applied to bakuto themselves

14. Tekiya
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Similar to Western snake oil salesmen – sold
shoddy merchandise with deceit, expanded to
meet demand for illegal goods (black market)
Controlled booths/stalls during fairs – start of
protection racket, turf wars, etc.
Organized to protect themselves and their
interests against the shogunate
Oyabun granted status and surname, even
allowed to carry a wakizashi short sword
Some worked as information brokers or even
spies for the shogunate

16. Traditions
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Oyabun-kobun (father-child) relationship
entailing blind loyalty and absolute obedience
Began yubitsume (finger-cutting) as a
punishment/apology to the oyabun or prior to
expulsion from the group
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Origin in weakening katana grip
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Function of group solidarity and reliance

18. Tattoos
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Tattooing (irezumi) also began as punishment,
evolved to represent strength and fortitude,
unwillingness to conform to society and personal
characteristics
Still done by hand with bamboo or steel needles, five
times more painful than with a tattoo gun
Popular designs – mythical beats, animals
Tsuzoku Suikoden Goketsu Hyakuhachinin (108
Warriors of Suikoden) – appeal of ferocity, outlaw
status and individual qualities in Kuniyoshi Utagawa
and also Hokusai Katsushika’s illustrations
Based on 14th century Chinese novel (Shuihu Zhuan)
about a band of robin-hood types

21. Ritual
• Sakazuki-goto – for creating the oyabun-kobun
blood bond (father-son), joining the family
• Literally event of cups, sake drinking from a cup
• Common Japanese practice, for example at
weddings, for bonds and coming together
• Sake as bond between man and gods, blessing
of good harvest, extension to earthly bonds
• Yakuza ceremony performed at a Shinto shrine
• Significance of sakazuki cups as a physical
contract, returned or destroyed for expulsion

23. Meiji Restoration
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Start of political parties and militarism
Yakuza also modernized, formed strong ties
with those in government (ultranationalists)
Did 'favours‘ as the cost of doing business
Trained militarily, in
languages, assassination, blackmail, and so on
by secret groups
Assassinated political rivals, pressured various
groups, soldiers/terrorists (i.e. Manchuria)
By 1930's – role in assassinating prime
minsters, finance ministers, coups, etc.

24. Yakuza in WWII
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Sold opium with the help of industrialists and
military under the Opium Monopoly Bureau
Funded the war effort and made occupied
populations more obedient (i.e. China)
Ran thousands of brothels for soldiers by
kidnapping and forcing Korean women and
wives/daughters of debtors into prostitution
Firms like Mitsui and Suzuki were involved

25. Post-WWII Origins
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Proliferation of gurentai (hoodlums/hired goons)
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Used threats and extortion to operate
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Start of gun culture and new level of violence
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Reason for bouryokudan label
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Inspired by prohibition era gangsters
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Yakuza dress also American-inspired

27. Post-WWII Strengthening
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Larger than the Japanese military, police
Used to control labour, oppose communism,
provide information
Majority of US aid going to Europe, flourishing
black market for everyday needs by funnelling
of military stockpiles
Sale of amphetamines (combat drugs) to
suppress hunger
Unspoken agreement between zaibatsu,
government and yakuza

28. The Godfathers
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Yoshio Kodama (WWII and post-WWII) –
known as a visionary for uniting the yakuza
Kazuo Taoka (origins of Yamaguchi-Gumi)
Hisayuki Machii (origins of Korean Yakuza) –
Tosei-kai/Tao-kai fifth largest clan
Kenichi Shinoda (sixth and current kumicho of
the Yamaguchi-Gumi) – currently most powerful

29. Modern Day
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100 000+ members in 22 syndicates and 2500 clans
Corporate-style organizational structure with franchise
based growth
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1. Yamaguchi-Gumi – 50 000 in 850 clans
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2. Sumiyoshi-Rengo – 20 000 in 270 clans
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3. Inagawa-Kai – 15 000 in 310 clans
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4. Matsuba-kai – 2000
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Daimon (family crest):

30. Modern Day
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1980s bubble economy led to keizai yakuza
Increasing involvement in big business (insider
trading, real estate, construction, banking, etc.)
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1992 anti-gang law – severe sanctions
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Uneasy and shifting political alliances
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International expansion
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Decaying police-yakuza relations
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Syndicate violence over territory
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Need to negotiate with Korean and Japanese
organize crime

31. Modern Day
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Increased defection and legitimate opportunities
New biker/speed gangs (bosozoku) causing
discord, disregard for old ways
Korean yakuza – discrimination against
Japanese Koreans (0.5 percent of Japan)
Burakumin/eta/dowa – outcasts from four
divisions, untouchable status inherited due to
ancestor’s ‘impure’ occupations (i.e butchers,
executioners, and others)
Overall sixty percent are burakumin, thirty
percent Korean, ten percent other Japanese

33. Conclusion
• Historically those of lowest class/caste who
gained influence (socio-economic origins)
• Integral component of Japanese society with
origins dating back to before the Edo period
• Unique culture and ritual practices with a variety
of historical influences that is changing
• Worldwide operation in the some of the most
vile businesses

34. Video Clips
• youtube.com/watch?v=llhEHNe62UM
• youtu.be/OQIR_ExN6oY?t=4m59s
• youtube.com/watch?v=6QH8OEr2FbE
• youtu.be/bOazu1_NAZg?t=1m59s
• youtube.com/watch?v=yMFM3PCkTqk