Yakuza
Members of organized crime syndicates in Japan
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Interest in “Yakuza” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-02-25.
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Key Takeaways
- Yakuza (Japanese: ヤクザ ; IPA: [jaꜜkɯ(d)za] ; English: ) , also known as gokudō ( 極道 ; "the extreme path", IPA: [gokɯꜜdoː] ) , or simply the Japanese Mafia , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan.
- The English equivalent for the term yakuza is gangster, meaning an individual involved in a Mafia-like criminal organization.
- Members are often portrayed as males with heavily tattooed bodies and wearing a fundoshi , sometimes with a kimono or, in more recent years, a Western-style "sharp" suit covering them.
Yakuza (Japanese: ヤクザ; IPA: [jaꜜkɯ(d)za]; English: ), also known as gokudō (極道; "the extreme path", IPA: [gokɯꜜdoː]), or simply the Japanese Mafia, are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media (by request of the police) call them bōryokudan (暴力団; "violent groups", IPA: [boːɾʲokɯꜜdaɴ]), while the yakuza call themselves ninkyō dantai (任侠団体; "chivalrous organizations", IPA: [ɲiŋʲkʲoː dantai]). The English equivalent for the term yakuza is gangster, meaning an individual involved in a Mafia-like criminal organization.
The yakuza are known for their strict codes of conduct, their organized fiefdom nature, and several unconventional ritual practices such as yubitsume, or amputation of the left little finger. Members are often portrayed as males with heavily tattooed bodies and wearing a fundoshi, sometimes with a kimono or, in more recent years, a Western-style "sharp" suit covering them.
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