Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster's Daughter

By Shōko Tendō

Book Overview

Born to a wealthy and powerful yakuza boss, Shoko Tendo lived the early years of her life in luxury. However, when she was six, everything changed: her father was jailed, and the family fell into debt. Bullied by her classmates because of her father's activities, and terrorized at home by her father, who became a drunken, violent monster after his release from prison, Tendo rebelled. As a teenager she became a drug addict and a member of a girl gang. At the age of 15 she spent eight months in a juvenile detention center after getting into a fight with another gang. During Japan's bubble economy of the eighties, Tendo worked as a bar hostess, attracting many rich and loyal customers, and earning money to help her family out of debt. But there were also abusive clients, one of whom beat her so badly that her face was left permanently scarred. Her mother died, plunging Tendo into a depression so deep that she tried to commit suicide. Somehow, Tendo overcame these tough times. A turning point was getting a full-body tattoo with a design centered on a geisha with a dagger in her mouth, an act that empowered her to change her life. She quit her job as a hostess. On her last day at work, she looked up at the full moon, which became a symbol of her struggle to become whole, and the title of the book she wrote as an epitaph for herself and her family. The paperback edition of Yakuza Moon features 16-pages of never-before-seen photos of Tendos youth, family, and tattoos, as well as a new foreword by the author, describing her life since the book was first published four years ago. "Emotionally complex and thoroughly heart-rending, this book is recommended for anyone searching for a more thorough and personal understanding of Japanese society. Publishers Weekly "The first female ever to break the code of silence and speak about life for women in the underworld...her best-selling memoir shocked Japan]...with its graphic accounts of her addictions to sex, drugs and violent lovers. Marie Claire Tendos] story...shines a light into a dark and little understood corner of modern Japan." The Guardian "The book offers a rare woman's view of Japan's criminal underbelly. The Independent "Much has been written about Japan's gangsterstheir full-body tattoos, boozing, womanizing, strict honor codes and occasional explosions of violence. Very little has been heard from their lovers, daughters or wives. Tendo has been all three." Bloomberg "A chilling and tawdry tale about family life and romance among the yakuza. The Wall Street Journal "A raw, heartbreaking account of damaged youth." Bust "A thrilling memoir...an exclusive glimpse into a life rarely experienced firsthand." Time Out Chicago

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 477003086X
• ISBN13: 9784770030863
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Kodansha
• Length: 195 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.2" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Self-destruction on speed.

This book was a lot of what I was looking for. After reading the Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx I wanted another true life real and gritty and seedy story to sink my teeth into. This provided exactly that. The story of a girl raised amid nasty people, money, drugs and pride. Too many drugs, too much sex and too many beatings all too soon. Rape/death/addiction/self destruction are all recurring themes. A traumatic life that parallels many people in America but I think is/was a rarer occurance overseas. She tries to run then tries to embrace her legacy as a member of the greater Yakuza family and allows the reader to experience the changes in her life and thinking that bring her around full circle in many ways to face herself and her past. Not very long, I read it all in under a week but it was well worth it.

raw, tender, heart-breaking, empowering

this book is extremely simple in language and description. That makes it more personal and as she runs through her life, there is a certain closeness you feel to the author. Her experiences were extremely painful but somehow I drew strength and empowerment from the choices she made.

The Incredible Strength of a Young Woman

This was a really interesting read. Tendo takes you through her horrible experiences beautifully. Her descriptions are so vivid that I found myself on the verge of tears at times when reading this. As the reader, you really want her to be okay, after tragedy upon tragedy. You really get sucked into her life, which to me was an experience I had never even read of before this. I would absolutely recommend this book - you'll learn about an incredibly strong woman that overcame extreme hardship in her life as a Yakuza's daughter.

Nice first book. I can't wait to read more.

The reviews above express most everything I would like to say about this book. I just wanted to add that I have never been much of a reader, actually I really have never enjoyed reading, and although I know this book is rather short. It kept my interest from start to finish, and I couldn't put it down. It took me a while, but I finished it in one sitting.

The Life of a Yakuza Daughter

A great read, was hard to put down once I got started. Not at all the type of life you would expect from a family that was once very powerful. Her child hood bullying, drug use during her teen years, and horrible relationships with men in the past serve as a warning that just because a life style may appear to be glamorous does not mean that it is. Told with shocking truth, Shoko Tendo's memoir is a great read.