Confessions of a Yakuza

It may sound odd that I use the word honor in the context of a gangster which is exactly what the yakuza were and are, but the man profiled here is completely old school in all its best connotations. Essentially, the background concerns a very old man about to die who tells his story to the random doctor who happens to examine him. The interviews are conducted over a series of weeks and they occur at the yakuza's home. To say that he lived in interesting times is definitely an understatement. Most of the action occurs before World War II, and, in those days, being a yakuza meant only running gambling houses. To do anything else was beneath them. One can see why the police were rather tolerant in regards to their general operations in light of this eventuality. The man described here eventually became the head of a local branch of the brotherhood, but the stories of his rise and his ever-so-complicated interactions with women were what most impressed this reviewer. This was a pretty fantastic read, and its value is all the greater should you be rather ignorant about Japan (as was the case with this reviewer).

I decided to buy this book because I believe that Bob Dylan's "Love & Theft" is one of the finest musical albums I have the pleasure of listening to. After reading this book, I can see why it would have an influence on Bob Dylan. The story is about a man who gets caught up in a remarkable world during a time of great changes. There are pleasures he enjoys and hardships he endures, you can understand why this tale had to be told. Much like the Dylan album it harks back to a bygone era, both pieces tell tales of worlds seperated by thousands of miles but now more distant from us by time then they are to one another. A fine read, regardless of what brought you to considering a purchase. I highly recommend the book.Don't expect this to be about a very seedy underworld, the Yakuza feel different, as if they were human, not some cold-blooded killing machines.

I enjoyed this read because it was a book of personal recollections of a real life Yakuza. Some of the stories were very charming. Even though main character Eiji was likely a bad guy, he came off like a good guy and I found myself rooting for him, hoping that the stories were accurate and true because I wanted to believe they actually happened. I would recommend this book to readers who want to hear stories from a gangster who actually lived the life of a Yakuza.

i loved this book. very accessible and exciting. through this man’s story, so many topics in 20th century Japanese history are covered.

Great book if you are looking for a look into the older ways of the Yakuza. Doesnt really read like a history lesson feels more like a story youd read about in school where it flies once you get into it.

I got this book wanting to kick off some reading about the Yakuza; what I got was a book which was originally entitled "Confessions of a Gambler". As other reviewers mention, this book is about a low-level Yakuza who specialized in gambling houses -- gambling was the mainstay of Yakuza income in the early 20th century. I really liked this book -- it was fascinating and well-written (translated). A very easy read that is informative at the same time it touches you emotionally.Not a deep book, but it's refreshing. Recommended for those needing a book for travel.

I read this book expecting a much more modern account of underworld activities in Japan. What this text actually is, however, is the story of a Yakuza mob boss from the 1920s-1940s. The Yakuza at that time was all about gambling, and had no interest in the other more illicit activities which it uses to make money today. This story is a bit more dated than I was looking for.

A very interesting read! It details more on the man's life rather then the yakuza, but still gives you a background to how it uses to function back in the day.

I read this book recently when on a trip to Japan and I enjoyed it immensely. It is not a book about modern Yakuza with the associations seen in films, but a story about an old time Yakuza who ran gambling games.His story is told to his Dr on his deathbed over a matter of months and recounts his childhood and teenage years and then his entry into the Yakuza world and some of the incidents that he experienced as part of this. This gives us a fascinating insight into not only the Yakuza world as it may have been, but also into Japanese lfie in general. You learn about smuggling boats in Tokyo that helped move gambling patrons about after curfew, his love affairs and how they impact his business world, the hierachy and support of the Yakuza world and more besides.I have read numerous books about Japan and Japanese life and this one rates high up there on the list for interest and how engaging it was to read.If you are looking for drugs, car chases and more modern elements of Yakuza life then maybe give this one a miss, but if you are interested in Japanese life in general and an unseen element of Yakuza society then give this a go. You shouldn't be disappointed.

This is NOT a yakuza book. If you want tales of killings and shootings and drug deals etc, this book isn't it. In fact the title of the book is quite misleading to be honest. This is more a book about an old fashioned yakuza who basically ran dice games from the 1920's to the 1950's. What I loved about this book though was that you get a great picture of Japan from 1910 to 1950. So for me it was really interesting to read about that and hear the stories of a man who lived throughout that time, including the great 1923 kanto earthquake. If you're after a book about the modern day yakuza then don't buy this but if you want a nostalgic stroll through early Japan then give this a read!

I loved reading this book, its basically written by a doctor who is treating a dying yakuza boss in his last days, and gets given info about the secret criminal life...it goes way back to when the yakuza first started and when televisions did not even exist, back to the very first days when they started to innovate and created the first gambling raquets. I didnt not want the story to end unfortunately it did. great book.

I never expected it to be so good. Truly a masterpiece. It's a book anyone would be lucky to get the chance to read. The way the author chose to narrate the story was interesting and different from what one usually reads. The descriptions were vivid and sincere, making me feel as if I were actually there. Highly recommend it.

NOW THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL BOOK,I WILL NOT TELL OR SPOIL IT FOR YOU BUT IF YOU LIKE UNUSUAL STORIES FROM JAPAN THEN GIVE YOUSELF A TREAT AND BUY THIS ONE.