Confessions of a Yakuza

The main subject of this book ( Eiji )is a gambler, who spent his life running gambling houses through the 1910s-1940s Japan before retiring. So, if you are expecting the usual American Mafia stuff you won't find that here. Eiji may be an unreliable narrator since he was a murderer, and career criminal so you should keep that in mind when reading this.However, the many tales you will hear of are amusing and interesting. From his first forays into running card games as a child for gamblers, his vigorous youth that led him into some absurd moments, his military stint in the occupation of Korea (from which he profited) in the military, to the climax of the book the firebombing of Tokyo during WW2 (and how he profited from it) you will see over 30 years of life go by in a flash.

Interesting read that offers some rare insight into the Taisho period and Shows Era Yakuza. The pre war parts were my favorite.

It may sound odd that I use the word honor in the context of a gangster which is exactly what the yakuza were and are, but the man profiled here is completely old school in all its best connotations. Essentially, the background concerns a very old man about to die who tells his story to the random doctor who happens to examine him. The interviews are conducted over a series of weeks and they occur at the yakuza's home. To say that he lived in interesting times is definitely an understatement. Most of the action occurs before World War II, and, in those days, being a yakuza meant only running gambling houses. To do anything else was beneath them. One can see why the police were rather tolerant in regards to their general operations in light of this eventuality. The man described here eventually became the head of a local branch of the brotherhood, but the stories of his rise and his ever-so-complicated interactions with women were what most impressed this reviewer. This was a pretty fantastic read, and its value is all the greater should you be rather ignorant about Japan (as was the case with this reviewer).

I decided to buy this book because I believe that Bob Dylan's "Love & Theft" is one of the finest musical albums I have the pleasure of listening to. After reading this book, I can see why it would have an influence on Bob Dylan. The story is about a man who gets caught up in a remarkable world during a time of great changes. There are pleasures he enjoys and hardships he endures, you can understand why this tale had to be told. Much like the Dylan album it harks back to a bygone era, both pieces tell tales of worlds seperated by thousands of miles but now more distant from us by time then they are to one another. A fine read, regardless of what brought you to considering a purchase. I highly recommend the book.Don't expect this to be about a very seedy underworld, the Yakuza feel different, as if they were human, not some cold-blooded killing machines.

I enjoyed this read because it was a book of personal recollections of a real life Yakuza. Some of the stories were very charming. Even though main character Eiji was likely a bad guy, he came off like a good guy and I found myself rooting for him, hoping that the stories were accurate and true because I wanted to believe they actually happened. I would recommend this book to readers who want to hear stories from a gangster who actually lived the life of a Yakuza.

Stumbled into this book in one of the hostels in Kyoto, and found its style captured my curiosity. Seems to bring me to Old Japan, and also confirmed my long-suspected mis-portrayals of Yakuza in films. I was unable to finish this before I left the hostel, so I searched for a Kindle version -none seems available. Had to have it shipped to finish the story, wait for a week, and paid more for shipping than the actual item. I'd say this book is worth all that trouble.

Great book if you are looking for a look into the older ways of the Yakuza. Doesnt really read like a history lesson feels more like a story youd read about in school where it flies once you get into it.

I read this book in 2013 or 2014, after learning that Bob Dylan -- a life-time hero of mine and recent Nobel Laureate -- "sampled" ten or so of Mr. Saga's best lines into his (Dylan's), masterly "Love and Theft," after having read it during an overnight stop at Tokyo's Narita Airport. Upon discovery, some critics denounced Dylan's "theft." Dylan just noted that "Confessions" was a darn good book, and Mr. Saga was honored to have inspired the great Bob Dylan.

Interesting portrayal of Japan from the 1920-1950 through the life of a yakuza.

i would suggest this book to any new comer to japan

I read this book recently when on a trip to Japan and I enjoyed it immensely. It is not a book about modern Yakuza with the associations seen in films, but a story about an old time Yakuza who ran gambling games.His story is told to his Dr on his deathbed over a matter of months and recounts his childhood and teenage years and then his entry into the Yakuza world and some of the incidents that he experienced as part of this. This gives us a fascinating insight into not only the Yakuza world as it may have been, but also into Japanese lfie in general. You learn about smuggling boats in Tokyo that helped move gambling patrons about after curfew, his love affairs and how they impact his business world, the hierachy and support of the Yakuza world and more besides.I have read numerous books about Japan and Japanese life and this one rates high up there on the list for interest and how engaging it was to read.If you are looking for drugs, car chases and more modern elements of Yakuza life then maybe give this one a miss, but if you are interested in Japanese life in general and an unseen element of Yakuza society then give this a go. You shouldn't be disappointed.

This is NOT a yakuza book. If you want tales of killings and shootings and drug deals etc, this book isn't it. In fact the title of the book is quite misleading to be honest. This is more a book about an old fashioned yakuza who basically ran dice games from the 1920's to the 1950's. What I loved about this book though was that you get a great picture of Japan from 1910 to 1950. So for me it was really interesting to read about that and hear the stories of a man who lived throughout that time, including the great 1923 kanto earthquake. If you're after a book about the modern day yakuza then don't buy this but if you want a nostalgic stroll through early Japan then give this a read!

I loved reading this book, its basically written by a doctor who is treating a dying yakuza boss in his last days, and gets given info about the secret criminal life...it goes way back to when the yakuza first started and when televisions did not even exist, back to the very first days when they started to innovate and created the first gambling raquets. I didnt not want the story to end unfortunately it did. great book.