Shoko Tendo

I read this book in one go; considering I have never done that before, it says a lot for the intensity and breathtaking reality of the memoir. Though relatively short, it packs a powerful punch, an amazing debut. I was drawn into her story until I felt I was a part of it. The essence of a good writer is to be able to make that connection between reader and character, and Shoko Tendo has certainly done that. Way out of my usual genres, I was completely absorbed in her heart-wrenching memoir, show more an emotional roller-coaster told in a straight-forward, no-holds-barred manner. In the version I read, photos and a foreword have been added to the original publication. These contributed to the personality of Shoko.

Unfamiliar as I am with yakuza society (somewhat like a Japanese mafia), this book brought me into lifestyles I knew nothing about; I also learned to see a tattoo as a complete work of art, which in Japan it truly is. These tattoos are full-body canvases, extremely detailed and historical art. Shoko was the middle child in a family of three girls and a boy, her father a yakuza, in a life of plenty. Fearful of her father's rages, bullied at school, discriminated against and insecure, Shoko's lifestyle had already begun to change at the tender age of twelve when her older sister took her to a club and passed her off as 18. The next several years of her life are spent in drugged out sex, used and abused. When all goes wrong at home, her father resigns as a yakuza and is pursued by yakuza loan sharks. Shoko falls into the trap of one man, a former friend of her father. His false promises to help her father with his financial problems and his Jekyll and Hyde personality drags her deep into his net. Misguided in what is expected of her, she sinks deeper and deeper.

Shoko does not try to lecture in her book, but is faithful to her memories. She does not dwell on her situation but writes with an honesty and thoroughness that through her worst times I could feel the disassociation she finally reaches. Intense, poignant, numbed and broken, she lays it all on the line. Her emergence from this darkness is wonderful to read and shows the strength of her true character. This memoir is a real eye-opener of horrendous abuse and the intimidation that denies escape. Exceptionally well-written for a debut. I highly recommend this book. show less

Shoko Tendo grew up as the daughter of a Yakuza boss in 1980’s Japan. Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster’s Daughter is her story of those years. While not a particularly well written book, I did admire her brutal honesty and the fact that she doesn’t make any excuses for herself, she simply tells us of her life.

Unfortunately this is not a book that supplied much detail about the Yakuza. Her father managed to run himself into tremendous debt and had to get out from the protection of the show more mob while she was still quite young. Her memories of her early age are of being bullied and called names due to her father’s connections, her father’s violent rages, and his time spent in prison while her mother had to run the businesses and his gang.

Shoko’s story is mostly about her own downward spiral, starting with running with a wild crowd at the ago of twelve, getting into sniffing paint thinner, advancing into speed. Rebelling against her parents, she instead fell into one abusive and controlling relationship after another.. She finally found personal empowerment by having herself vividly tattooed and changing her lifestyle.

I found the closing chapter of the book rather strange. It appears to be a rambling declaration asking for her parents forgiveness. I think she was actually accepting her past and forgiving herself. Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster’s Daughter is certainly far from the best book I have read this year, but I think it will be one that I remember. show less

I will keep this short as my review has been removed multiple times due to phone errors

I read this book in only a few hours and enjoyed it very much

This book may prove to be one in a long line of books that is not meant to be inspirational and yet proves to be so for me

A long hard life of bad decisions and hard times leads Shoko to reinvent herrself many times, each time with more and more difficulties... Although obviously her difficulties are more difficult than most of ours I think we can show more all relate to this


And though in the end we don't know how things turn out for her, at the end of the book at 32 years old she has reinvented yourself again and seems optimistic... The implied outcome is that even at this age we can all still reinvent ourselves and find happiness


As a 34-year-old woman, I read this and hope for the future show less

This was an enjoyable read. It's a bit light, as I read it in under four hours, however the litany of drug abuse, abusive relationships and death resonated strongly with me. She manages to avoid the "pity me" trap which so often plagues stories of rough lives and instead gives us a straightforward and pleasurable triumph over adversity tale. I did expect more of a Yakuza slant, but since her father fell by the time she was 12, it is understandable that the Yakuza Culture aspect was minimal. show more I do wish it was longer, but perhaps then it would have become a pity fest. show less