Shunko - 130 kilometres (81 mi) from Edo 

 

Population: 75 thousand, Total Area Population - 200 thousand 

 

Where? At the head of the Izu Peninsula just east

on the lowlands. 

 

 

Northern Shunko

 

Kamenoko Gate - The 5 meter tall iron gates of the town through which thousands of merchants, workers, and travelers pass each day. 

 

Broken Wheel Lodge - The largest Inn in the city and a destination for many road weary tavelers. Three stories of spartan accomidations with a working kitchen and brew hall there is no better place to hear news from those traveling Japan.

 

Three Barrel's Tavern - A typical dive "bar" with shady residents, the occasional out break of violence, and the cheapst whores in town. A good place to quench your thrist or maybe end up dead in an alley. 

 

Yori Forge - A popular blacksmith shop. 

 

The Isogashi Market - A giant, bustling open air market selling anything fit to buy. Food, clothes, fabrics, spices, tools, and even items of vice. Oh my! 

 

 

City Center

 

Shukai Town Square - The large brick tiled square of Shunko. Featuring an elegant fountain at the center and a staue of Oda Nobunaga. There

are often sponsored public performances, paraddes, and performers.

 

Tsuyoi Council Castle - The small but beautiful fortified 

burecratic center of Shunko. Celebriated for its 

magnificent dome, fusion of foriegn and Japanese arhitecture,

and housed with the royal samurai guard of Oda Nobunaga and

the administrators of Shunko. 

 

The Nine Phoenix  Inn - An upscale for rent residence for well to do 

political officials, magistrates, connected samurai, and other elites. 

 

Kiyoraka Sento Bath House - A lavish private bath house for

the elite of Shunko. It has stone floors with wood tile walkways, 

men and women's washing areas with four large wading pools each,

and draws water from the river as well as a nearby hot spring.

 

Shin no Seishin Sword School - The oldest dojo in Shunko

and perhaps in Japan. The art of the sword and fist

is first and foremost of disiplines. A way of life.

The long house contains many coats of armor, weapons,

and banners, yet the master Onoda Sozen no longer

takes on new disiplies... a mystery to be solved. 

 

Teiren Shop District - Many stores along the narrow cobblestone 

roads sale a variety of food, wares, and novelties. 

 

 

 

 

Western Shunko 

 

 

Drunken Ox Tavern - The biggest, slummiest drink hall in Shunko. Two stories of alchoalism, rowdy fist fights, comely wenches fore hire, gambling everywhere,  and general good natured fun... with the occasional sword fight. Popular among samurai, soilders, workers, men, even a few women, and a monk or two. Everyone wants a drink. 

 

The Green Dragon Tea House -

 

Kokkei Theater - A large green frield with a grand wood 

stage at the center with many decks, props, and platforms.

All manner of Noh, Kabuki, and Bunraku plays take place

here with a tendency towards the risque. 

 

Tanoshi Fertility Shrine - The pride or many would say shame of Shunko.

A stone garden of... reproductive... shaped figurines leading up

to a long house that holds many "lucky" adult shaped idols, artifacts,

and nudes. Many secretly come here to rub a statue for fertility, 

potence, or to do uh... other activites. 

 

Akarui Mori Garden Forest - A small series of interwoven beautiful 

Japanese gardens that run against the small, thin forest that

grows to the west north west and northwest of the city. 

 

Okina Nureta Hot Springs - Near the river five beautiful 

pools of heated water bubble up on a rocky flat. With

wooden decks, painted murals, and a central house 

built around the luscious green trees. A small

creek runs off the cliffs nearby and swirls 

by the pools. They are seperated for men and women

by a fence, save for one secret, secluded pool behind

the waterfall... 

 

 

- Dividing the City Center from Eastern/Southern Shunko is the large

Nagai bridge over the Kawazu river - 

 

 

Eastern Shunko 

 

The Sacred River Walk - A beautiful, ivy strewn winding canal

walkway that goes along the waters. Stone steps lead to the

river where one may wash in the dirty but holy waters. 

 

The Great Buddha Throne (ENE) - The giant twin-deck wooden temple honoring the Buddha. The roof is bleached white while the walls are red. 

Inside there is a quiet hush. Lit with candles are many beautiful bronze statues of noted bodistava and  the hideous figures of demon protectors. Following a maze through the solemn temple leads to a walled-in open air garden where  a spectacular giant stone sculupture of Buddha shines in the sun or else glows by oil lamps at night.

 

Futoi Chi Shrine to Hachiman - It honors the kami of war. 

Red Torri lead to the walkway guarded with stone lions

painted gold. There is a large green offering hall with red

banners and a good sized stage for cermony and performances. 

 

Soko Lake - A good sized beautific span of shimmering water

with many great, arched dwellings of rich samurai on the 

west shore, while the east shore is scattered, mysterious

marshland up to the foot of the hills. 

 

Yatsuhiro Dojo - The famed sword school of the Yatsuhiro family

for the past three generations. Currently run by the noble samurai 

Yatsuhiro Endo it is a large long house draped in award banners.

 

The Tombs - The "haunted" graveyard that runs the far eastern

lowlands to the foothills of the mountains. A small stone wall

with sacred watchdog stone hounds guard the scores of 

cerimonial mounds, idols, and catacombs that house the

dead and honored ancestors. Just don't be caught there at night.

 

The Nameless Shrine - Beyond the tombs in a valley between the

hills there is a forbidden site. An aged Torri arch lies broken,

the Komainu figures are desocrated, and the offering hall

is nothing but ashes. What was worshiped there has been 

forgotten but townspeople never venture near here.

The ghosts of the damned are said to haunt it. 

 

 

Southern Shunko

 

Fumeiyo dungeon - A squalid three story prison and

underground pit where common prisoners are held.

 

Ippan Inn - The first and last stop for many sailors,

merchants, and drunkards of shunko. A dingy, crowded

Inn shevled in stacked wood buildings. 

 

The Sea Shanty Tavern - A rustic, sordid drink hall

featuring many of the worst low lifes in Shunko.

Mariners, laborers, theives, and most of all pirates

frequent this tavern. Careful how much you drink

or you may end up an unwilling crew member... 

 

Shobatsu Station - The main HQ of the lazy as well as

corrupt civilian police force of Shunko housed in 

several clay dwellings reinforced with wood. You are

better off asking your neighbors for help... 

 

The Midori Wharf - Vast shipping docks for Shunko proper where

everything from small schooners to great sailing ships are anchored. 

 

Raundo Lagoon - Small, pure blue tidal pools on the southeastern 

shore of Shunko. A beautiful place where they few who brave the 

sandy dunes may go for a swim. 

 

Lookout Landing - A small offshore fortress built on a bayside 

landbar to protect the harbor. 

 

Other notable places: Shinto Shrine to Sengen the diety of Mount Fuji. 

 

 

 

Beyond Shunko's Borders... 

 

 

Just to the North...

 

Villages and farmland with scenic fields,

low sunken roads, fences, and agrarian scenes

are to be found. 

 

North north west of the City  

 

"Knife's Edge" Fortress - The 10 meter tall wood and 

stone fortification that guards Shunko from raiders, 

rogue armies, and most of all the threat of oni. 

 

 

Far north of Shunko 

 

The "Oni" Forest -  Nestled in the very long and very large rainy valley that runs up the high mountains is the lush "Oni" forest. A savage and dangerous wilderness of the  deepest woods and murkyest swamps where the only residents are stray  bandits and rumor has it ravenous oni... beyond are low mountains cloaked in more mysty forest and then high wonderous lakes, and last rugged snow capped mountains

where no man dare tread... 

 

Nioi-Nioi Swamp - Near the center of the "Oni Forest" is a sunken

swampland on a stream delta. It is overgrown with reeds and massive 

freshwater trees. They say that it is here where the greatest

of Oni lurk. 

 

The Bottomless Waters of the Nagai - Deep in the "Oni Forest" is low canyon that slowly rises up into the mountains. It is graced with pools of water framed by beautific ferns. The dark blue waters are very deep

and are thought in some places to go deep, deep into the mountain

where boundless horrors and wonders await. 

 

Beyond is ...Mount Fuji... symbol of Japan. 

 

 

 

To the land of demons 

 

Around the bulk of mighty Fuji-san mountain, past the errie

Aokigahara "sea of trees" and its many restless spirits is

the scorched land of the Yama Kings. 

 

- The Demon Keep - On the edge of 

Aokigahara forest there is an abysmall stone fortification 

with a statue of a large oni head on its front. The 

staging grounds of the infernal armies. 

 

- The Cauldron - 

 

Several new volcanic vents jut up from the 

scorched ground on the eastern flank of Fuji-san. 

A  place of acid rains, toxic lands,

and all manner of oni and ogre. 

 

- The Castle-

 

The enormous,twisted crags of the Demon King's castle rises hundreds of meters

above to dominate the land. A mountain of terror

where the great Lord of Demons sits on a throne of bones

and directs his foul legions to enslave the world.