Confessions of a Yakuza
Encyclopedia
is a book by Japanese
doctor and author Junichi Saga (1991). It recounts a series of stories from the life of Eiji Ijichi, a former Yakuza
boss, as told to his doctor in the last months of his life. Though it is considered a novel, the stories it is based on are true.
The book starts with the teenage Ijichi running away from his family home in Utsunomiya to Tokyo
, to find a judge's mistress who he was having an affair with. The book follows Ijichi through his first job at a family coal merchants in the then district of Fukagawa
, his various mistresses and treatment for syphilis
, the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake
, his initiation into the gang that controlled gambling in the Asakusa
entertainment area, his various stretches in prison
, his overseas service in occupied Korea
in the 1920s, his rise to the boss of the gang, and his experiences during and after World War II
.
The book paints a colourful picture of life in Japan in the first half of the 20th century, the structure and customs of a yakuza gang, gambling sessions, prison and army life.
Junichi Saga: Ijichi's doctor, who spent many hours with Ijichi over a period of months towards the end of his life, taping his reminiscences. Saga's main role in the book is to introduce some of the stories with descriptions of the older Ijichi as he recounts them.
's 2001 album Love and Theft were "borrowed" from the novel for songs.
Some examples appeared in an article published in Journal, which indicated a line from "Floater" ("I'm not quite as cool or forgiving as I sound") was traced to a line in the book, which said "I'm not as cool or forgiving as I might have sounded." Another line from "Floater" is "My old man, he's like some feudal lord." The beginning of the book contains the line "My old man would sit there like a feudal lord."
When informed of the possibility that Dylan had lifted material from the book, author Saga's reaction was to feel honored that Dylan might have read and been inspired by Confessions of a Yakuza.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
doctor and author Junichi Saga (1991). It recounts a series of stories from the life of Eiji Ijichi, a former Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
boss, as told to his doctor in the last months of his life. Though it is considered a novel, the stories it is based on are true.
The book starts with the teenage Ijichi running away from his family home in Utsunomiya to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, to find a judge's mistress who he was having an affair with. The book follows Ijichi through his first job at a family coal merchants in the then district of Fukagawa
Koto, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 442,271 and a population density of 11,070 persons per km². The total area is 39.48 km². The ward refers to itself as Kōtō City in English....
, his various mistresses and treatment for syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
, the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
, his initiation into the gang that controlled gambling in the Asakusa
Asakusa
is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.- History :...
entertainment area, his various stretches in prison
Penal system of Japan
The Penal system of Japan is part of the criminal justice system of Japan. It is intended to resocialize, reform, and rehabilitate offenders...
, his overseas service in occupied Korea
Korea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
in the 1920s, his rise to the boss of the gang, and his experiences during and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The book paints a colourful picture of life in Japan in the first half of the 20th century, the structure and customs of a yakuza gang, gambling sessions, prison and army life.
Characters
Eiji Ijichi: a dying Yakuza boss in his 70s, who recounts various stories from his past to his doctor.Junichi Saga: Ijichi's doctor, who spent many hours with Ijichi over a period of months towards the end of his life, taping his reminiscences. Saga's main role in the book is to introduce some of the stories with descriptions of the older Ijichi as he recounts them.
Bob Dylan
It was reported that some lines from Bob DylanBob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's 2001 album Love and Theft were "borrowed" from the novel for songs.
Some examples appeared in an article published in Journal, which indicated a line from "Floater" ("I'm not quite as cool or forgiving as I sound") was traced to a line in the book, which said "I'm not as cool or forgiving as I might have sounded." Another line from "Floater" is "My old man, he's like some feudal lord." The beginning of the book contains the line "My old man would sit there like a feudal lord."
When informed of the possibility that Dylan had lifted material from the book, author Saga's reaction was to feel honored that Dylan might have read and been inspired by Confessions of a Yakuza.