What does Yakuza mean cards?

The word yakuza (“good for nothing”) is believed to have derived from a worthless hand in a Japanese card game similar to baccarat or blackjack: the cards ya-ku-sa (“eight-nine-three”), when added up, give the worst possible total.

What does yakuza mean in gambling?

So the original meaning of yakuza (ya for yattsu, eight, ku for "nine" and za for san, "three" was "no points" or "useless". Later, this meaning changed to "useless people" or "gambling people". See also What are Japanese number puns? for how Japanese uses words as mnemonics for numbers.

Why do yakuza cut off pinky?

Yubitsume (指詰め, "finger shortening") or otoshimae is a Japanese ritual to atone for offenses to another, a way to be punished or to show sincere apology and remorse to another, by means of amputating portions of one's own little finger.

Are the yakuza legal?

The Yakuza have over 40,000 members in Japan. they are semi-legal in Japan and their addresses/office locations are well known in Japan. Police can only arrest yakuza when there is evidence of a crime, otherwise police here leave them alone.

How does yakuza work?

These gangs controlled many businesses, engaged in sophisticated gambling and loan sharking activities, and invested heavily in sports and other entertainment. They also became involved in drugs, money lending, smuggling, and pornography.

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Are Yakuza good or evil?

The yakuza have been described as a “necessary evil” – while their involvement in criminal activities has always been recognised, their ability to monopolise and control the underworld, curbing the excesses of less-organised gangs and foreign groups, was seen as reassuring.

Is Yakuza illegal in Japan?

Three largest syndicates

The Yakuza are still active in Japan. Although Yakuza membership has declined since the implementation of the Anti-Boryokudan Act in 1992, the Japanese National Police Agency estimated in 2022 that approximately 11,400 Yakuza members were engaged in illegal activity in Japan.

Are the yakuza evil?

Yakuza are viewed by some Japanese as a necessary evil, in light of their chivalrous facade, and the organizational nature of their crime is sometimes viewed as a deterrent to impulsive individual street crime.

Are there Yakuza in the US?

The presence of individuals affiliated with the Yakuza in the United States has increased tremendously since the 1960s, and although much of their activity is concentrated in Hawaii, they have made their presence known in other parts of the country, especially in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as . ...

Are there female Yakuza?

Embarking on what she calls an “initiatory journey”, Chloé had to be patient, pleasing and benign. Slowly, Chloé was granted access to their inner circle and, eventually, the ane-san (Boss' wife). Unlike Western mafia wives, Yakuza wives remain outside the sphere of criminal activity.

Is it OK to get a yakuza tattoo?

🐉 Is it OK to have a Yakuza tattoo? Yes, you can get a traditional yakuza tattoo. Yakuza doesn't use tattoos to identify their members, so you won't run into trouble. These tattoos are personal and based on Japanese legends, symbolism, and art.

What are yakuza punishments?

The traditional punishment for failure within a Yakuza clan is the amputation of a part of the little finger. This act of contrition is known as yubizume. When the gangster has displeased his boss, he is merely given a knife and a bandage.

How do yakuza get rid of bodies?

Cement shoes, concrete shoes, or Chicago overcoat is a method of murder or body disposal, usually associated with criminals such as the Mafia or gangs. It involves weighing down the victim, who may be dead or alive, with concrete and throwing them into water in the hope the body will never be found.

What does 893 mean in yakuza?

893 can be read as "ya-ku-za" (やくざ) or "Yakuza". It is traditionally a bad omen for a student to receive this candidate number for an exam.

Do yakuza get paid?

The yakuza mainly make their living through unlawful b usinesses, such as gambling, drugs, prostitution and loan-sharking. Most of the money comes from gambling, most often from dice games.

What is the largest yakuza family?

The Yamaguchi-gumi is the largest yakuza family, with about 8,200 members. The Sumiyoshi-kai is the second-largest yakuza family, with 4,200 members. Sumiyoshi-kai is a confederation of smaller yakuza groups.

Do Yakuza do human trafficking?

The yakuza worked with the Japanese government during World War II to provide Imperial soldiers with “comfort women.” From there, the yakuza expanded into sex tourism, human trafficking of women to Japan, pornographic enterprises, etc. in addition to gambling businesses and the trafficking of drugs and weapons.

Can a foreigner join the yakuza?

A gaijin in the organisation? Straight away, the strangest thing is that a foreigner – a gaijin – gets to become a member of a Yakuza family. Not only that, but Lowell quickly rises to become a member with key responsibilities – at one point he becomes the main boss's bodyguard.

How rich is the yakuza?

The Yamaguchi-gumi, which Morgan Stanley analyst Robert Feldman once called Japan's second largest private equity group, operates in 44 of Japan's 47 prefectures, with a yearly net revenue at $80 billion, as estimated by Fortune magazine.

Can the yakuza hurt civilians?

For example, it's organized crime groups or gangs such as the Yakuza are unwilling to go out and attack or rob regular lawful civilians. Instead, they cause intended harm towards other rival Yakuza clans separate from their own. Often to none, these occurrences do not physically affect the surrounding community.

How brutal are the yakuza?

The yakuza punish their own, sometimes infamously forcing the person who did wrong to remove the tip of a finger as a form of apology. The yakuza are even known to reduce some crime. They will often police themselves.

Can you talk to yakuza?

Once you complete Togo Atatsuma's task, you may speak to the Yakuza in the alleyway of the town. The first time Ryoba speaks to him, he will give you a free gift. The second time you speak to him and onwards, Ryoba can pay him to do various favors for you.

What is the yakuza 5 year rule?

The banking industry has a rule prohibiting former yakuza from opening bank accounts until five years after they leave a gang. This forces former gang members to explain to employers why they cannot open bank accounts, and makes job hunting harder.

Why do Yakuza get tattoos?

They're instead a "very personal depiction" of a scene from the yakuza member's life, or something symbolically important to them - which is meant to show people the attributes that person is known for.

Can you quit the yakuza?

Can you ever leave the yakuza? It's certainly much easier these days, with government crackdowns falling on the syndicates like hammerblows. But yes, in most cases, it's been fairly acceptable to resign from a gang. Unlike some criminal organizations, they're surprisingly understanding.