The Flowers that Bloomed in the Port Town - Memories of the Four Heavenly Kings of Yokohama Gurentai (Late 1950s)

The Flowers that Bloomed in the Port Town - Memories of the Four Heavenly Kings of Yokohama Gurentai (Late 1950s)

In the late 1950s, Yokohama was a town steeped in the smell of the port. Isezakicho, Kannai, Koganecho - in the chaotic and chaotic back alleys, there were men who radiated an especially strong, hot, and fleeting radiance. They were known as the "Four Heavenly Kings of Yokohama Gurentai," a legendary group of delinquents who were known locally for their virtue of loyalty, humanity, and "loyalty" among delinquents.

He did not pursue profit like the gangsters, nor did he stand out flamboyantly like the motorcycle gangs. They simply clenched their fists to protect their town and their friends, and held fast to their beliefs. That was their style. The "Four Heavenly Kings" were Tatsu of Morocco, Yoshito Inoue, Kingo Yoshinaga, and Kiichiro Hayashi, each with his own strength and aesthetics, leaving a strong mark on the night of Yokohama.

Tatsu of Morocco was nicknamed "Morocco" for his exotic, dark complexion and sharp eyes. He was also known as "the devil of Isezakicho" for his rough temperament, and it is said that he did not hesitate to stand alone against a gang of fools from Tokyo when they invaded Yokohama. However, his true spirit was after the fight. Suddenly, he was seen feeding a stray cat in a back alley immediately after the bloody fracas. Everyone was fascinated by the back of this man who combined strength and kindness.

Yoshito Inoue was a man who fought not in fights but in pauses. He never changed his facial expression, never raised his voice, and yet he dominated the scene with his overwhelming presence. He was trusted as a negotiator even within his own gang, and was called "Isesaki's devil who never laughed. One day, a clash occurred at the port between a group of foreigners and the Yokohama Gurentai. While everyone feared a commotion, Inoue went to the spot alone, talked quietly, and quietly concluded the hand-to-hand combat. As a result, not a drop of blood was spilled, and from that day on he became known as "big brother.

Kingo Yoshinaga was one of the best fighters of the Four Heavenly Kings, who was known as "Kingo of Kannai. Never one to waste words, he was a man who always stood at the front and spoke with his fists alone. One night, ten delinquents from Tokyo came to Yokohama to beat up on Yoshinaga, and he single-handedly fought them off, defeating them all. Even after winning, he never disgraced his opponents, and many young people learned how to live from his attitude of "respecting even one's enemies as long as one is reasonable.

Kiichiro Hayashi had a slender physique that at first glance seemed unrelated to fighting, but he excelled at overwhelming his opponents with the speed of his movements and the precision of his techniques. He was feared as the "silent executioner" because of the way he would defeat his opponents without uttering a single word or expression during a fight. He seemed more ruthless than anyone else in a fight, but the story that he later turned into a Japanese confectioner is still one of the urban legends told in Yokohama today. There is even an anecdote that his former enemies used to buy dorayaki at Hayashi's store.

What these four men had in common was not just that they were strong fighters. They were loyal to their fellow workers, and above all, they were proud of "their own way of life. They lived fiercely, beautifully, and gracefully on the back streets of the port town of Yokohama in the Showa period, like flowers that bloomed only for a short time. This image was eventually projected into ninkyo movies, novels, and even music about Yokohama, and has become a spiritual pillar that forms the basis of Yokohama culture.

Even today, walking down the alleys of Isezakicho, one can still see their shadows somewhere. The times may have changed, but the way of life of those who "made their way in the world" is still engraved in this town.