Description
Book Synopsis: The Last Yakuza tells the history of the yakuza like it’s never been told before in this gripping, true crime story by the author of Tokyo Vice.
Makoto Saigo is half-American and half-Japanese, living in small-town Japan. He has two talents: playing guitar and picking fights. When his dream of being a rock star fails to materialize, he turns to the only place where you can start from the bottom and move up through sheer performance, loyalty, and brute force—the yakuza.
Saigo, nicknamed Tsunami, quickly realizes that even within the organization, opinions are as varied as they come, and a clash of philosophies can quickly become deadly. One screw-up can cost you your life, or at least a finger.
The internal politics of the yakuza are dizzyingly complex, and between the ever-shifting web of alliances and the encroaching hand of the law that pushes them further and further underground, Saigo finds himself in the middle of a defining decades-long battle that will determine the future of the yakuza.
Written with the insight of an expert on Japanese organized crime and the compassion of a longtime friend, investigative journalist Jake Adelstein presents a sprawling biography of a yakuza, through postwar desperation, to bubble-era optimism, to the present. Including a cast of memorable yakuza bosses—Coach, the Buddha, and more—this is a story about the rise and fall of a man, a country, and a dishonest but sometimes honorable way of life on the brink of being lost.
Details
Discover the hidden world of the yakuza like never before in The Last Yakuza: Life and Death in the Japanese Underworld. This gripping true crime story, authored by the renowned investigative journalist Jake Adelstein, takes you on an extraordinary journey through the tumultuous life of Makoto Saigo, a half-American, half-Japanese man seeking his place in small-town Japan. With his dreams of rock stardom shattered, Saigo delves into the secretive realm of the yakuza, where power, loyalty, and raw force determine success.
Experience the pulse-pounding action as Saigo, nicknamed Tsunami, navigates the treacherous waters of the yakuza organization. Uncover the complex internal politics and conflicting philosophies that drive this underground world to the brink of chaos. One misstep can be fatal, making every decision a matter of life or death. Will Saigo find his footing and rise amidst the shifting alliances and the relentless pursuit of law enforcement?
Elevate your understanding of Japanese organized crime with the astute insights of an expert and the heartfelt empathy of a close friend. Delve into postwar desperation, bubble-era glamour, and the present struggle for survival. Witness the captivating rise and fall not only of Saigo, but of an entire country and a way of life that teeters on the precipice of extinction.
Don't miss the chance to immerse yourself in this enthralling biography of resilience and redemption. Experience the allure of the yakuza and the allure of The Last Yakuza: Life and Death in the Japanese Underworld today!
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