Festival yakuza

Yakuza play a prominent part at the Sanja Festival (photo by ‘Yumi’ for Japanworld)

The ties of the yakuza with Shinto are not widely-known, but they certainly exist.  They are not perhaps surprising when one considers that the mores of the yakuza are deeply rooted in Japanese traditions. It’s why gang leaders are often pictured making shrine visits, so as to enhance their self-image as guardians of Japaneseness.  And yakuza rituals often borrow deeply from Shinto practice.

A news item in Japan Today touches on the close ties between the yakuza and the huge Sanja Festival, which took place in May.  The article raises more questions than it answers.  What was the purpose of the two men?  How and why were they ‘unlawfully’ manoeuvering a large mikoshi?  What indeed was going on?

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2 yakuza members arrested for obstructing Sanja Festival

The suspects were identified as Shuichi Obitsu, a 46–year-old executive member of organized crime group Sumiyoshi-kai, and Masahiro Kondo, a 30-year-old member of the group, Fuji TV reported Saturday.

According to police, the two men unlawfully maneuvered a large mikoshi (portable shrine) during the festival near their office. Police said they showed off their tattoos and yelled at spectators to intimidate them, all of which disrupted the flow of the festival.

Police said the pair have been charged with creating a public nuisance.

There have been many similar cases caused by yakuza members at the Sanja Festival in the past.

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For the background to this story, see this article on yakuza involvement by ampontan.
For pictures of yakuza involvement in Tokyo’s Torikoe Matsuri, click here.

There’s little mistaking the festival costume here! (courtesy the japanismo site)