These astonishing photographs give an unprecedented glimpse inside the world of the Yakuza, the Japanese organised crime syndicates, known for their brutality, tattoos and strict code of honour ...

The Japanese government banned tattoos in 1872, as while the practice had risen as an art form, tattooed marks were still used as a punishment. The ban wasn't lifted until 1948, but the practice ...

The style of these tattoos was Japanese, and traditional tattooing methods were used to give them. Although it is forbidden for women to join yakuza organizations, the wives or girlfriends of men ...