Yakuza members’ tattoos are all done by a Japanese form of “stick and poke”.

 

Yakuza members’ tattoos are all done by a Japanese form of “stick and poke”.

Yakuza tattoos are nearly always based on some form of Japanese culture or mythology, but there’s a lot more to their meaning than meets the eye.

For the Yakuza, getting a tattoo is a sign of commitment; the more tattooed you are, the more committed you are.

Yakuza don’t show off their tattoos to just anyone, though.

They would cover them up as much as possible while going about their day.

The name Yakuza came from the name of a bad hand in an old card game these groups of criminals and lower caste members would play.

Metaphorically, this referred to how they were dealt a bad hand in life with being part of the lowest part of society.

Today, they dress like regular Japanese businessmen and have expanded into the financial world in addition to their affiliations.

They cover their tattoos with their clothes because only one percent of Japanese citizens have tattoos and they are still highly stigmatized in their culture.