The Japanese massively stripped and showed tattoos in the yakuza style

News24xx.com - The Japanese, covered with tattoos in the yakuza style, walked through the streets of Tokyo in their underwear during the celebration of the largest festival Sanjaya-maturi in the city, - the «Daily Mail» reported.

Annually about two million people gather in the Tokyo suburb of Asakusa in a parade in honor of the three founders of the Sanoji temple - Hinokum Khamanari, Hinokum Takenari and Hadzino Nakatomo.

At the traditional festival there are representatives of different strata of the population. Among them - a lot of stripped men and women whose bodies are completely covered with drawings associated with the criminal yakuza group. With such tattoos, yakuza members usually slaughter the whole body, leaving only the head, neck, hands and feet intact to hide the images under the clothes.

The Japanese mafia yakuza differs from the western one in that it is legal, although it is under close surveillance by the police. Japanese society tolerates their existence and considers it an integral part of the traditional way of life.

In January, an elderly member of the yakuza, who hid in Thailand, was caught by the police after photos of his tattoos became viral in the local social network. The offender was recognized by his  characteristic tattoos throughout the body and the lack of a little finger.