How can I meet a member of Yakuza?

Answer 1

It would be hard to meet a "high ranking" yakusa.
Most people here are telling you it's dangerous and don't do it.
I have met many , some friendly and others not.
It isn't hard to spot them as many have a very "staunce" walk.
Mainly it depends on when and where you meet them , if you can talk to one , one-on-one , it's like talking to an average person , but , yes there is a but , sometimes you may run into a group of "troublemakers" , known as "chimpira" younger ones trying to proove that they are tough.If you see these ones , it'll pay to just walk away (unless you are a martial arts expert).
In general , the Yakusa now-a-days , is just like any other "gang" in the world , you'll get good groups , and you'll get bad groups.

Answer 2

If you go to say....Kabukicho or any other entertainment area in Japan there will guys on the street just standing there with their gaudy clothes on. They are guys assigned by their gang to watch over their "turf. Obviously they are not high-level guys. Don't stare at them and never, ever point at them. There are always a lot of sketchy looking characters at the bicycle races, but officially the bike tracks have a, "no yakuza" policy.

Kuriyama is correct about the onsen and sento. They are pretty obvious when you can see their tats, and a lot of those guys go to the sento every night and a weekend at an onsen is their idea of a good time. There are certain onsen that they frequent that have a "tats OK" policy, and neighborhood onsen will tolerate their own neighborhood guys, but a lot of onsen/sento/golf courses have "no tattoo" policies to keep yakuza creeps out. I've seen them at the beach playing mah-jong wearing nothing but fundoshi, but obviously you can't just introduce yourself.

If you really want to meet a yakuza go to a bar/soapland etc. they control and then refuse to pay! You will meet a yakuza very very quickly!

If you have some actually legit reason aside from morbid curiosity/stupidity to "meet a yakuza", ie. you are a journalist, sociologist or whatever there would be ways of arranging a introduction through a go-between. However if you are writing books about Japan you would probably already have some ideas about that.

Answer 3

One would wonder why you feel you have to meet them... but anyway...

If you're in Japan, they're pretty easy to spot. The west of Japan has historically been the hometurf for lots of the big families, but they'll be in any decent sized city. The 'chinpira' are the lowest level, the most common, easiest to 'bump' into, and perhaps the most dangerous. This is because they still have something to prove. There are lots of disaffected youth who would love to get into a big family, but few are chosen. Most of the Bosozoku etc that are most the highly visible 'gang' members in Japan have nothing to do with real Yakuza families.

By the time you go up a couple of levels, they will be very much more isolated from foreigners. They really are pretty right-wing and hold foreigners as beneath contempt. Of course, they hold pretty much the rest of Japan as beneath contempt too, so don't feel bad!

Try the more traditional areas of Japanese culture: very Japanese restaurants, older onsens and sentos, some established snacks etc. I used to run a bar in Japan in a building full of brothels... all either owned or protected by Yakuza, but so long as everyone minds their own business, no-one worries about you. The guys I've spoken with are pretty normal people, once you get past the mask of arrogance that they have to wear as part of the job description. (That said, I've also been in a couple of incidents where, if they could have tracked me down... I dare say things would have gotten ugly.)

Answer 4

Yakuza Attire

Answer 5

It very risky. VERY risky. I wouldn't advise it but I will tell you the way to meet them.

I am not sure where you are located but I will tell you the best way in New York where I used to meet up with several members to play Taipei blocks. There is a laundry on 53rd street, half a block from Bowridder Ave. Go to the counter and say you had a white shirt ruined there. When they ask you how tell them it was because you dropped a dumpling into your soup and it knocked your sweet and sour sauce over which spilled on your shirt. They Willl ask if it got on your fingers and you will respond that you were to quick for that. They will ask you to come in the back. Once in the back you will be asked to sit and wait. They will make a call. In a short while you will be asked to place a cloth bag over your head, this will then be taped lightly. You will be waled out the back and into a waiting vehicle. They wil drive you around for a while before taking you to a building or restaurant. You will be escorted in and sat down, when they remove your hood ou will be face to face with a Yakuza member!!!!!
Oh make sure you say it exactly right at the laundry, one guy said he knocked over his duck sauce instead of saying sweet and sour and ended up getting dressed up as a giant chicken and pushed out in front of a bicycle messenger!

Answer 6

Uh, why would you want to? That's like saying how do you meet a hired killer for fun. That is a really stupid idea because if you cross the yakuza and they don't like you for any reason, they will either make you pay them money or cut off a finger or two.

Answer 7

Yakuza is just a gang or mafia.
You can find any big city.
Kabukisho is one of the biggest red light areas, so maybe there are some yakuza.
But now there are so many Chinese, Korean gang in Kabukicho, maybe they work for Yakuza.

Answer 8

Easiest way would probably go to an area in Tokyo called Shinjuku. There is a red light district called Kabukicho.
Go there around 1:00AM weekdays or weekends.
I will bet you anything you'll see one or two people dressed in the Yakuza attire walking with an air of arrogance uncommon to the Japanese public.
That's the way to find them.

Meeting them is up to you I guess.
Be careful because there's a high probability you'll get your teeth kicked in, arms broken, body pumped full of crack and sold to the gay market. All in one day.

Answer 9

why do you want to meet yakuza ?
i used to work with a member of yakuza at convenience store without knowing he is.
he was my boss.
and he told me that he is yakuza, it made me so scared.
but he was a very nice person.

Answer 10

You don't want to meet them. They are not scared of foreigners. But! If you must, look for a man with a missing pinky finger. That's the start :)