Yakuza
A 400-Year History of the Japanese Underworld

Quotes

“An enthralling portrait of the Japanese way of crime, full of larger-than-life characters and dramatic episodes.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A detailed history of the Japanese mafia from its origins to the present … Highly recommended for readers interested in modern Japanese history or the history of criminal organizations generally.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“A well-researched and spirited chronicle of the Japanese underworld.”—Crime Reads

“Andrew Rankin has written the best book in English on this fascinating and misunderstood subject. With style, irony, and scholarly authority, he traces the evolution of Japan’s gangsters from delinquent samurai through ultranationalist thugs to besuited corporate extortionists. Rich in incident and anecdote, Rankin’s account of the tattooed finger-choppers also serves as a thrilling alternative history of modern Japan.”—Richard Lloyd Parry, author of People Who Eat Darkness

“Andrew Rankin has written a fascinating history of the yakuza, drawing on an impressive command of Japanese culture, language, and sources. By situating the organization alongside other mafias around the world, he highlights both its unique features and its broader place within the study of organized crime. Elegantly written and richly informed, this is essential reading for anyone interested in Japan, crime, or the underworld.”—Federico Varese, author of Mafia Life

“The yakuza book that everyone has been waiting for. The clear-eyed narrative is studded with vivid vignettes and pen portraits, and the twists and turns of mobster life are securely located in the context of Japan’s tumultuous modernization. Yakuza is both shrewd and engrossing.”—John Dickie, author of Cosa Nostra

“Andrew Rankin’s Yakuza delivers something many of us have long pined for—a deeply researched, comprehensive history of Japan's historic ‘mafia.’ Yakuza tells a story that is both gripping and revealing of Japanese culture, politics, and society. Those with affection for all things Japanese will love and appreciate Rankin’s knowledge and rich prose. Those with a passion for the world of organized crime will learn a great deal from its depth and insights. A must-read regardless.”—Ryan Gingeras, author of Mafia

“The mythic roots and practices of the yakuza always sound larger than life, but as Rankin’s fascinating and intensely readable book demonstrates, the reality if anything is even more extraordinary. With a cast ranging from samurai and ‘chivalrous nationalists,’ to corrupt politicians and dodgy sumo wrestlers, the evolution of the Japanese underworld is as distinctive as it is absorbing.”—Mark Galeotti, author of Homo Criminalis

“We so much needed a book like this. It's the best thing that has been written about the yakuza in at least the last twenty years.”—Jonathan López-Vera, author of A History of the Samurai

“It will be the definitive work in English for a generation now on the subject. The way in which Rankin traces the emergence of the yakuza to a samurai class trained for warfare but suddenly without any wars to fight is fascinating.”—R. Taggart Murphy, author of Japan and the Shackles of the Past