I. Introduction: n this expository essay ,the gang or clan of organized crime known as the Yakuza will be exposed, to know where they come from, what influences they had to become a fearsome criminal gang. Waytowich, B. (2014), the etymology of the name or where the name of the word Yakuza comes from De Mello (2014). the importance of traditional Japanese tattoos in the Yakuza gang ,and the traditional Japanese tattoo technique known as tebori used to brand till today for Yakuza gang members. Ashcraft, B. & Benny (2016). II. Thesis statements: the importance of traditional Japanese tattos in the Yakuza and the tradicional japanesse technique knows as tebori , used to Brand till today for Yakuza gang members. III, Yakuza name etimology: …show more content…
This style of japanesse tattoo means to insert ink into the skin to leave a tattoo or a permanent decorative ornament, during the period of 3000 to 10000 years BC, Japanese tattoos were worn by clans or groups during the Paleolithic period, tattoos have been considered as a brand, ornament and even in purely religious and spiritual aspects and social status. Waytowich, B. (2014) VIII. Conclusions: can not be denied that in Japan the tattoos has always been a taboo , it has always been related to criminals. In this particular case this gang of organized crime known as the Yakuza, is shocking as in some way to feel marginalized by the simple fact of having brands that identify them as traditional Japanese tattoos as seen by the irezumi, as the fact of tattooing almost the whole body has been seen as a mark of identity and as a rite of initiation to differentiate the rank and clan that belongs to a member of the Yakuza, it is interesting that in spite of all the discrimination, there are still Japanese tattoo artists who use those traditional and ancestral techniques with the utensils or tools of that time like the Edo era, it's amazing how you can tell a story with drawings on the skin that can be identified and that are also at the same time works of art that last until the death of the person seems fascinating to
In Japan there is the Yakuza, also known as the 'Japanese Mafia', which consists of up to 2,500 families. The three largest groups in the Yakuza are the Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyaoshi-kai, and Inagawa-kai. These three groups together have around 61,100 members, or seventy-three percent of the gangster population in Japan. These organizations have been in existence for about 300 years, and have their roots in the Tokugawa period (1600-1867), when Japan united under a central system of government (Abadinsky, 2010, 2007) . Some suggest that the Yakuza are the true heirs of the samurai, as the samurais formed structured groups of organized crime after the feudalism in Japan ended. T...
The Yakuza (Pollack, 1975) was an interesting movie using the blend of American and Japanese culture to help build the storyline. This neo-noir film is about a man that returns to Japan, after World War II, to retrieve the daughter of his friends. Though he completes his mission he is pulled into something deeper that could claim his life. His movie is mostly about relationships between characters and how they change with better understanding of each other. Not only that, but the relationship between East and West. Using the Japanese culture the audience is enlightened about “many salient social and anthropological facts about Japan and its culture.”(Meyer, 1998) Like for instance that “Yakuza” is formed from numbers that when combined equal 20, which in Japanese gambling is an unlucky number. I take this in direct correlation with what happens to the characters in the movie, they seem to lose a lot before thy make it through to the other side of the storm.
Tradition of humans permanently marking their bodies has consistently been utilized as a means of identification. Greeks used it as a form of punishment and branding of those considered as “others” which comprised of slaves and convicts- ideology that was then carried over into Roman culture as a tool of state control (Fisher, 2002). Indigenous tribes that lacked a written language applied tattoos as a system of visual communication. Both the Osage and Omaha tribes tattooed themselves based on success in warfare, bearing a skull on the back of their heads to signify victory in battle. Inuit men would mark on themselves how many whales they hunted, while ink on women conveyed marital status (Porcella, 2009). Despite a long-standing history in other cultures, it is emphasized that the Polynesian and Japanese cultures are largely responsible for the diffusion of tattoos into Western society.
Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today deriving directly and indirectly from the beliefs of the Samurai.
One is known for his occupation and what he does and what he withholds from doing. The yakuza is a large crime organization that has thousands of members that span throughout the entire world. They originated in Japan and since then have slowly moved across the globe into many different countries; they even have members in the United States today. *The yakuza is a highly organized crime organization that places great importance in respect and honor and seeks revenge when they do not receive it, they are involved in different types of crimes and they have certain characteristics that separate them from other organizations.*
(2014). The Artification of Tattoo: Transformations within a Cultural Field. Cultural Sociology, 8(2), 142. Retrieved from http://www.galileo.usg.edu.
The notion of yakuza’s existence; one of the world’s most well-known organized crime syndicates, is very obvious and well-aware inside the Japanese society both in the olden and present day. They are very well perceived by the public. Yakuza’s confirmation of existence can be seen on several circumstances; for instance, yakuza magazine and video games, their participation in annual Sanja matsuri and the headquarters around the big cities.
Jun'ichirō, Tanizaki. “The Tattooer”. 603-102-04 Eastern Literature. Jeffrey Fyfe. Toronto, ON: CSPI – Coursepack, 2012. Print
They began back in the late 1950s in Los Angles, California. Just like the Texas Syndicate there main agenda is the selling of drugs in and out of prison. Each member has a tattoo of an eagle with a snake to represent the Mexican Flag and the initials EME as there identifying marks. They have so much power that the wives and girlfriends of members control the drug trafficking in the streets of California. They also created the term blood in, blood out. Blood in means being beaten until bloody during initiation and blood out means there will be consequences if you depart from the gang. The Mexican Mafia is known as the powerhouse of prison gangs because of the power they have over there members to keep them under control.
Tattoos and body modifications have been around for many generations. They first began in 3370 BC and were used by Europeans and Egyptians. Both tattoos and body modifications are defined as a cultural representation of self-expression and sometimes even religion. In the article “Tattoos and Piercing: Issues of Body Modification and the Workplace,” Dr. Elzweig states, “Although tattooing is not a new phenomenon, the number of people who have tattoos has increased significantly and continues to rise. Life magazine estimated in 1936 that only 10% of me American population was tattooed in whole or in part (One out of ten Americans is tattooed, 1936)” (Elweig, Peeples).
This research paper speaks of the poem “The Tattooer” that talks about Japanese culture where men are superior and women are seen beneath the men of society. The poem "The Tattooer" shines the light on many of Tanizaki's standard society themes. And in this the tattooer desires the pleasure of his art; the tattooer takes much pride in the tattoos that he creates on the flesh of humans and also endures pleasure from putting pain on the empty canvases with his needle. In “The Tattooer” by Tanizaki Jun’ichiro the tattooer desires the pain inflicted on his canvas but then the perfect body is seen and he realizes that he must now tattoo for the beauty of the tattoo and is soon controlled by women.
Tattoos have been used as a form of decoration on the body of the Egyptian mummies. In fact, tattoos were viewed as a “beautifying operation” to the Typee natives and in Wales they were once a royal fad. There have been many eras to see the tattoo as a prestigious decoration. The Japanese also practiced a form of tattooing that covered their warriors in intimidating designs. But after years of beauty and prestige, what changed the views of people? What made tattoos rebellious and unprofessional?
Film is one of many Medias to send messages to the world. Numerous examples of movies that insert messages, 47 Ronin is one of them. The movie 47 Ronin is based on true story of Ako Incident and specifically tell us that honor is everything. The image that we discuss in the presentation was taken from the movie 47 Ronin. The image is a representation of a specific Japanese culture, Seppuku. However there are differences in story of Ako incident and 47 Ronin, and these alterations applicable to the term Orientalism.
Dating back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries North American tattooing originated in the island of Tahiti, and other small pacific islands including Samoa and Hawaii (DeMello). The modification by U.S tattooists was to “fit a local sensibility emphasizing patriotism rather than exoticism” (DeMello). Martin Hildebrandt, was the first known tattoo artist in the United States as a professional. Shortly after the first mechanical tattooing machine was created, up until this point tattoos had been done by hand. A tattoo machine was invented because tattoos become a fad with mili...
Symbolism and meaning is by far one of the most important aspects of the tattoo industry. “The abstract emotions and human awareness of emotions show what really is going on in ones life (Johnson)”. For that reason tattooing is a form of self-expression, and can stand for literal interpretations. For the most part these interpretations are the conveying of spiritual meaning, or marking milestones such as life or death” (Johnson). For those who think tattooing is just for looks or put a bad judgment on it, should also realize that ones personal interest reflects upon their lives. “Many individuals get their first tattoos during adolescence or young adulthood.”(Bravermark) Due to the mainstream culture, these traditions traditionally associate with stereotypes. Stereotypes defiantly have a huge impact on life. Which leads to the next point? Whether flaunted or hidden, sought as art or brought out on a whim, the tattoo has left a huge impact on generation after generation.