Those who are in NY or near there, you may be interested in going. Japan Society in NY seems to have lots of events and is looking quite good. If you are interested in Japanese culture and are in the neighbourhood, maybe it´s exploring.

Many of you may have heard the word Yakuza but not many of us know what exactly they are and how they function. I know that Yakuza manage many business scene in Japan, but that´s all. At this event you will find out.

Tokyo Underworld 2012: An Evening with Robert Whiting

Thursday, February 16, 6:30 PM (followed by a reception)
Robert Whiting has written several successful books on contemporary Japanese culture – which include topics such as baseball and American gangsters operating in Japan. He was born in New Jersey, grew up in California and graduated from Sophia University in Tokyo. He has lived in Japan for a total of more than three decades since he first arrived there in the early 1960s.
In this special event, Mr. Whiting will address the intractable role of yakuza (Japanese mafia) in virtually all areas of modern day society in Japan. He will discuss the sequel to Tokyo Underworld that he is writing, share insights into the genesis of the HBO project and talk about the recent National Geographic documentary Crime Lords of Tokyo, in which he appeared.

TICKETS : $12/$8 Japan Society members, seniors & students

Buy Tickets Online or call the Japan Society Box Office at (212) 715-1258, Mon. – Fri. 11 am – 6 pm, Weekends 11 am – 5 pm.

For more information, please visit the event webpage: http://www.japansociety.org/event/tokyo-underworld-2012-an-evening-with-robert-whiting