Can someone tell the history of the yakuza?

Answer 1

From the crime library:
The origin of the yakuza is a matter of some debate. Some feel that its members are descendents of the 17th-century kabuki-mono (crazy ones), outlandish samurai who reveled in outlandish clothing and hair styles, spoke in elaborate slang, and carried unusually long swords in their belts. The kabuki-mono were also known as hatamoto-yakko (servants of the shogun). During the Tokugawa era, an extended period of peace in Japan, the services of these samurai were no longer needed, and so they became leaderless ronin (wave men). Without the guidance of a strong hand, they eventually shifted their focus from community service to theft and mayhem.

Modern yakuza members refute this theory and instead proclaim themselves to be the descendents of the machi-yokko (servants of the town) who protected their villages from the wayward hatamoto-yakko. The official yakuza history portrays the group's ancestors as underdog folk heroes who stood up for the poor and the defenseless, just as Robin Hood helped the peasants of medieval England.

Current yakuza members fall under three general categories: tekiya (street peddlers), bakuto (gamblers), and gurentai (hoodlums). The peddlers and gamblers trace their roots back to the 18th century while the hoodlums came into existence after World War II when the demand for black market goods created a booming industry. Traditionally the tekiya, medieval Japan's version of snake-oil salesmen, worked the fairs and markets while the bakuto worked the towns and highways. The gurentai, by contrast, modeled themselves on American gangsters of the Al Capone era, using threats and extortion to achieve their ends. After World War II, in the governmental power void caused by the Occupation, the gurentai prospered, and their ranks swelled. They also brought organized crime in Japan to a new level of violence, replacing the traditional sword with modern firearms, even though guns were now officially outlawed in the country as a result of the surrender.

The yakuza are proud to be outcasts, and the word yakuza reflects the group's self-image as society's rejects.

Or you could try "everything you always wanted to know about the Japanese Mafia":
http://web.telia.com/~u31302275/yakuza.htm

Answer 2

General Research Guides for Students:

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Easy to use links that will help with all your research needs, try typing a keyword or two into the search engine and see what happens.

http://www.aresearchguide. com/

http://www.geocities. com/athens/troy/886...

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http://www.chacha. com/

Answer 3

Come and sit on Uncle WIkipedia's lap...

Answer 4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakuza

Pax - C