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Kanogawa Domain
Brief History: Kanogawa was once inhabited by those that followed the Emshin way of life, or at least something similar to it. Communities were organised on the basis of clan and tribe, with no overarching government or organisation. Individual tribes had their own customs and rituals but generally understood that they were all related if not by blood, then by culture. Around 800-1300 years ago (accounts and opinions differ), the ancestors of the Yamato people started arriving in the region, first as travellers and traders, and later as settlers. This led to an intermixing of both cultures, which survive till today within the greater Yamato culture. Indeed, this intermixing occurred everywhere the Emshin and Yamato cultures met. It was only 650 years ago that the Tenno appointed the first Shogun (which at the time, was truly an official of the imperial government) to tame the frontier. This led to the mass settling of Kanogawa by the Yamato and the gradual (or rapid) decline of the Emshin cultures. During the rest of the Imperial Period (the period in which the Imperial Clan held de facto power), Kanogawa largely remained a backwater. Even after successive Shogun (and Shikken) governments, Kanogawa was largely known for its lumber and miso. It was only in the two or so centuries that Kanogawa's iron deposits became apparent. This was the period of the Warring Lords, which occurred after the very short lived Yakota Shogunate (which itself, had displaced the Zu Shikkenate) Whilst initially controlled by the ancient Matsuyada Clan, the petty merchant Yayoi was able to seize the domain as his own, after successfully acquiring the allegiance of many of the merchants, ronin, tengu villages and a large number of geisha-turned-assassins. Establishing House Charuke. House Charuke, whilst initially considered upstarts for being of merchant origins, established a strong regional hegemony over its surrounding neighbours, vassalising or conquering them entirely. This was possible due to the first Charuke daimyo's ability to support a large number of samurai, which itself was due to economic reforms and development in his own fief. Of course, Kanogawa was eventually defeated by Clan Kamon, which had already conquered much of western Yamato. Whilst logistical soundness had long been Kanogawa's strength, it found itself unable to match that of the Edokawa domain. Whilst it had been possible to for Daimyo Charuke Sakura to challenge Clan Kamon for years to come, she knew it was a losing battle. She has such, eventually surrendered after her allies in Clan Butchu, were slaughtered to the last infant. Kanogawa largely did not participate in the rebellion against the Kamon Shogunate, but did partcipate in the intervention to save Yabakjae. It was there that Daimyo Charuke Sakura earnt the title of kensei, killing hundreds of Imjan warriors by herself. She has since, defended the title from all claimants. About 16 years ago, Charuke Sakura retired from the daimyoship in favour of her son, Charuke Ajin, who lacks both the martial prowess of his mother, and the mercantile mastery of his auspicious ancestors.
Fiefs of Kanogawa
Kanogawa City: The capital of the domain, it was a sleepy pastoral village until Charuke Yayoi declared it to be the domain capital...having burnt down the last one. It is the nexus of all things Kanogawa and boasts a plurality of the domain's population. Whilst relatively urbanised, much of the populace is still rural, often tending to soy or rice. Whilst relatively cosmpolitan, Kanogawa City lacks many foreigners or strange ideas- it is after all, in the middle of the Yamato's great mountain range. Most taxes from the rest of the domain pour into Kanogawa, usually in the form of rice or iron. Most of the domain's major temples, sects, administrative institutions and unemployed samurai reside here. Kanogawa is famous for its pink matcha bread.
Shin-Kanogawa: The domain's trading port, its a relatively short boat ride downstream from Kanogawa. Whilst once composed of several small fiefs, the Shogunate saw fit to re-organise them into one administrative unit- much to the chagrin of the now fiefless samurai. Still, this has significantly increased the domain's control over the region and now tariffs and taxes pour into the treasury much greater than before, especially as the Shogunate has assigned inspectors and aides to the area. The city of Shin-Kanogawa itself is very young, being only 20 years old. Already however, it has become the nexus for most of Kanogawa's trade goods, such as weaponry and lacquer-ware. From here, it is transported down to the lowlands, either for trade or as tribute to the Shogun. The city is known for having the largest temple to the Great Fox in the domain as well as maintaining a moderately large museum on local history- which draws in many scholarly tourists. Shin-Kanogawa's regional speciality is a honeycake with sweet bees mixed into the crumbs, offering a very crunchy sensation to an otherwise soft delicacy.
Yashimura: Centrally located in Kanogawa, it is built near the ruins of Matsuma, the former capital of the domain. Yashimuran people still talk of the old days in song and legend, sometimes romanticising it more than is politically correct. In the modern day, Yashimura functions as a depot for the surrounding iron mining villages scattered throughout the hills, as well as the traditional mustering grounds of the domain's armies (Kanogawa City having several ordinances against their noisy procedures). Whilst there are many armourers, weaponsmiths, fletchers and chemists working in Yashimura, nearly all of their products go to the army, resulting in very few consumer goods on the market. None would dare produce a commission for anyone else due to the common practise of swearing at the temple of Kagan-no-hichi and Hachiman that they would not. Most goods, indeed, come from either the small villages throughout the region, or from other parts of the domain. Much of Yashimura is uninhabited by humans, although demons and other creatures do lurk here, especially the oni. Were it not for the efforts of the priests and garrisons, the oni would likely cause far more headaches and tears than all the humiliations the domain has experienced since the surrender. Still, some oni clans have made formal peace with the domain, having been enchanted by Kensei Charuke Sakura's demeanour and skill. Yashimura is famed for its pepperedsteak- which contains no pepper but instead, the milt of a local fish.
Yamamizu: An agricultural town, it was once an independent domain until its conquest by the Matsuyada Clan. The ruling family, the Ozu, have served first the Matsuyada and now the Charuke. Yamamizu has a reputation as a boring place, with very little of note happening here. There are very few stories about the place nor even many local myths. The people are known as hardworking but drab folk. Many live in the surrounding forests and indeed, maintain a fragment of the Emshin ways. With its close proximity to the Buruzu hinterlands, it is however, a popular stop for pilgrims seeking to honour the Divine Couple and Iwa-no-Okami, literally the "Great Rock God". Buruzu's specialty dish is fermented deer's stomach soul, which is a savoury pudding made up of the deer's internal organs stuffed into the deer's stomach, and then allowed to partially ferment. Due to its proxmity to Buruzu, there are many shrines to the gods of the afterlife, reincarnation, death, plague, orphans and other related deities.
Okimichi: Kanogawa's other main population centre, Okimichi was built on the ruins of Haruo Castle, which the Charuke ransacked and razed after its lord, Uie Harita, refused to serve them after their deposition of the Matsuyada Clan. Its current lords, the Korale Clan, descend from the ronin Korale Uichin, who was one of the first to serve Charuke Yayoi. Under the rule of the clan, Okimichi has prospered as a manufacturing city, with the nearby forests and hills providing it many raw resources to fuel its industries- although much of the nearby hills have been exhausted. Okimichi's current lord is an avid hunter and is married to a daughter of the Ozu Clan.
Akushu: There is little to say of the town of Akushu save for that it has always existed in some form, acting as a gathering centre for the local peoples. It mainly produces iron, which is transported via barge and wagon elsewhere in the domain. Its lords, the Mutsubasi, practise an ancient - and now a days, considered barbaric - practise of familial castration. Only three children from each generation [that is, two sons and a daughter] are allowed to have their genitalia in full, the rest being castrated. The longstanding reasoning that this reduces kinstrife and offers the castrated unequalled clarity in their chosen profession. Many of them become priests. Interestingly, a consequence of this custom is that the castrated are no longer considered male or female and instead maintain a third gender- although this is analogous to eunuch for most. Akushu's signature dish is grilled salmon.
Tairana: The plains of Tairana have long been the pastoral heartlands of the domain and it is said that the Kanogawa pre-Yamato culture began here. Many are the families that are still nomadic or semi-nomadic in Tairana, only settling down for the winter or mid-harvest. Tairana is the premier source of leather, horn, glue and other livestock products in the domain. Its lords, the Tairana, claim to be the oldest clan in all of Kanogawa, claiming descent from Imperial nobility. They are also known cowards, its lords believing that the safety of their clan and their people to be too important just to maintain honour. As such, whilst ancient, the Tairana Clan is not considered very prestigious by the nation's samurai. Still, the family is very much loved by its subjects. The nomads of the fief, it is said, can assemble around the city in a matter of three days, should the lord call for it. Indeed, the Tairana Clan has been replaced eight times throughout its history, always coming back due to the behest of the people or by direct order of the ruling daimyo. Despite their yellow-bellied reputation, the Tairanese lords have oft been trusted with matters of state as while they are poor bannermen, they honour their deals and rule with relative competency. Tairana's signature dish is rotten milk, a form of coagulated cow's milk (although other animals are acceptable) that is allowed to rot in caves and are retrieved after they've been hardened somewhat. Most Yamato have problems digesting this delicacy, although the Tairanese rarely have this problem.
Primeval Forest: Not a fief, more an area of uncleared and largely unspoiled forest. It has very few humans residing in it and is only nominally part of Kanogawa Domain. The kami of the Forest are not the most friendly and indeed, many are dangerous or even hostile. Many oni dwell here as well as even darker (or at least, dangerous) beings. Every eight months, a cloud of luminous lights can be seen to dance at the centre of the forest, although this is only visible from nearby hills and mountains. That said, bandits, outlaws, and hermits sometimes make homes around the edges of the Forest or even deeper inside. It is said that the spirits of the dead haunt the Forest.
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