If you’ve never heard of the Yakuza, then you probably don’t know much about Japanese tattoo. Not that the Yakuza and Japanese tattoo go hand in hand, but the Yakuza has played and still does play a large role in the way that tattoos are viewed and utilised in Japan. It’s a very interesting sub-culture and one that should be studied by anyone within even a minor interest in Japanese tattoo culture.
So check out this documentary on the Yakuza and their tattoos. It’s a good place to start for anyone wanting a bit of background info on the subject.