In early May 2007, my friend and I wandered the streets of Oita, Japan, at night, trying to understand this strange culture all around us. Near a main downtown intersection close to Miyako Machi, the "red-light district" of the area, I saw a young man with dark, slicked-back hair, a black suit, white-collared shirt, and a loosened black tie.

He held a clipboard, and his grip allowed me to see part of a greenish tattoo stretched out over the top of his hand. When a young woman passed by, he'd approach, smile, and compliment her looks.

The post Samurai Gangsters appeared first on .