History of Nihon

In the Narutoverse the continent that the Hidden Villages all reside on is called Nihon. Nihon is also the name for the entire nation that lives on the continent.

Each section will explain certain concepts and points in time within Nihon.

Feudalism
The nation of Nihon is broken into several countries. Each country has its own ruler, but they all function under a centralised system of government known as the Shogunate. The rulers of each country all follow the command of the Shogun who is the supreme leader of Nihon. The imperial family, headed by the Emperor, is the only one that can overrule the Shogun provided he has the backing of the lower-ranked rulers and viceversa. This system of government is the current version that came into being after the Advent of the Rikudo-Sennin (ARS).

The system of feudalism that existed before is fragmented and forever altered after the creation of the Hidden Villages. The feudal system was one that relied on the honour of the vassals who pledged their loyalty to their lord. Unlike the Western form of feudalism where the vassal is appointed as the proprietor of owned land, the Nihon form of feudalism made the vassals as the stewards of the land. The vassals would acts as stewards on behalf of the lords who in most cases lived far from the actual land itself. The vassals would unfortunately receive no tangible reward for administrating land on behalf of the aristocrats therefore the only way to benefit from such a system was to exercise their militaristic power to defend or attack against other provincial vassals or lords.

These constant risings of conflicts that spread all over Nihon would create a series of major wars that would engulf the nation as a whole.

KamaKura Period
The imperial family was in a state of decline in the late 12th century following the slow erosion that began 100 years ago. The Shogunate which also went by the name of Bakufu in such an era, established itself in Kamakura which lay directly south of Tokyo, a city that would be founded at a later date. At this point in time the imperial family retained their ceremonial powers, but the true authoritative powers resided with the military rulers in Kamakura. Even civil affairs were handled by the Shogunate.

The imperial court at the time had appointed the leading military ruler of the Shogunate to the rank and title of Shogun in 1192. The emperors were given proper respect which was tempered by the directives that encouraged them into compliance with the Shogun’s policies.

Despite the surveillance of the imperial family by the Shogunate they were overthrown by Emperor Go-Daigo who restored imperial rule in 1333. This period and its events are important as it establishes certain clans who have survived the ARS and still retained the majority of their power. Though the history is lost to most people after the ARS it is not completely forgotten and the clans of the emperor are a point of great interest as there was a spilt in them at a later date. Those who felt threatened by the sudden evolutionary change and adaptation as a result of the ARS would later become the group that call themselves The Pure.

Establishment of Warrior Rule
The decentralised and ineffective system of land allocation and management by vassals which was established in the final years of the Heian Period (794 - 1185) by those who were a part of the aristocrats lead to a decline of court authority as the aristocrats preferred life at court rather than administrative positions in remote provinces. This reluctance to oversee estates lead indirectly to the uprisings of those who would challenge the imperial court. In most cases these disturbances occurred and originated in local warrior alliances formed in provincial domains.

This system of land allocation and management that was used before the ARS still existed after the event but was forever altered after the Hidden Villages came into being. The leader of the Hidden Village, the Kage, would instead have a large plot of land with which to build a village and would allocate certain parcels of land for clans to live on.

Because the majority of these clans are military in nature they did not require parcels of land or province’s to maintain. This was because each Hidden Village employed the military clans purely as soldiers who were not only part of an army, but were also a military force that could be contracted to clients. This basically meant that each soldier was part of a massive mercenary force.

Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147 - 1199) was granted court authority in 1185 to appoint military agents in the provinces and military stewards on the estates themselves, thereby ensuring the cooperation of the vassals and to maintain order amongst them. The military agents were given enough authority to oversee vassals, and amongst their responsibilities were the registration of meritorious warriors as vassals and the punishment of certain crimes. The military stewards on the other hand were chiefly responsible for the maintenance of the private estates that were exempt from tax. It was this system of military agents and military stewards’ that eventually became what is now a subsystem of government in Nihon. Clan Heads who are the derivatives of military stewards, for example. The behaviour of the military agents is similar to a variety of different positions in the current Nihon.

The authority to oversee the behaviour of vassals and their clans is behaviour that is similar to that of the Kage. The authority to register warriors’ and induct them into the military force is an authority that is given to both Kage and Clan Head. And the punishment of certain crimes is the behaviour of a certain small military force that is a subset of the main military force known as ANBU.

Over time the military stewards gained more power and as such this resulted in a loss of rights amongst the actual proprietors of the estates. Thereby leading to an increase in warrior jurisdiction over land, agricultural and artisan production, and farm labourers. The Shogunate began to recognise that bonds with the wealthy provincial landholding families had to be forged to ensure that even Shogun-appointed agents were safe from the constant threat of challenges by neighbouring domains. The Hidden Villages kept a tight control on military power. In terms of civilian matters the leader of each village had a certain amount of control in terms of matters of agricultural and artisan production as well as farm labour. But this system of control only extended to those who lived within the reach of the village. Those who live beyond the walls of the village fall under the purview of the Daimyo.

Just as the Shogunate of the Nihon before the ARS they had to make a firm and steady relationship with the families who were wealthy and had the land under their control. The Daimyo who held the vast majority of land that are the countries that make Nihon are the families that the Shogun has to establish a strong working relationship with in order to maintain a sense of stability and peace throughout Nihon.

This of course, meant that the warriors who had first been employed by the imperial court to quell provincial uprisings became the new political and social elite, thereby restoring the centralised power enforcing peace until invaders from The Celestial Empire intervened.

Just like the world of Nihon before the ARS there were many uprisings and as such they had to be put down. The clans that fought against those who rebelled and caused uprisings would become the new social elite. The direction of these clans could grow in a variety of ways. They could join with a Hidden Village or they can become a part of the Daimyo’s imperial force and serve the country as a whole.

After five years of brutal war between the Minamoto and Taira the victory of the Minamoto ended the Genpei War. It was shortly after that the Kamakura Shogunate was established by Yoritomo who gradually managed to consolidate power over various areas of Nihon. Yoritomo was not the first Shogun, but he was the first Shogun to rule and have power over the nation as a whole.

The Genpei war marked another series of clans their survived the ARS and managed to maintain some form of the original power.

The Hojo Regency
The power and authority of the Minamoto family was derived from the alliances they had forged during the Genpei War. Amongst all the families that they had allied themselves with, the Hojo family was especially important. Yoritomo had relied on his connections with the Hojo clan to successfully defeat the Taira clan. The connection between the Minamoto family and the Hojo family was that Yoritomo was married with Hojo Masako the daughter of Hojo Tokimasa.

Both had the Minamoto and the Hojo family survived the ARS. Not only did they survive but they also managed to retain a certain amount of power and respect. This is quite important as they are clans who would later become part of the aristocracy of later Nihon.

It was with the Hojo assistance that Yoritomo managed to set up his rule at Kamakura. When Yoritomo passed away the real power went to the Hojo. It was they who then served as regents to the Shoguns. Even though the Hojo were of low social rank and could not become Shogun themselves, they could exert control over the government by choosing who they wanted to become Shogun. They chose from the aristocratic family Fujiwara or from the imperial family.

The history of the Hojo is mostly forgotten but nevertheless command great respect in the later years Nihon following the ARS. Even though the family was of low social rank it was their actions against the imperial resistance that solidified their political power and made their family rise to even greater heights.

While the appointed Shoguns may have been in a superior rank they still followed the directives of the Hojo regents. Therefore it was the Hojo that oversaw the Jokyu Disturbance and also the Mongol Invasion. There were of course challenges to the Hojo regency. Go-Toba a retired emperor made an unsuccessful attempt which was backed by other members of the court and is known as the Jokyu Disturbance.

Yoritomo death in a 1199 and the assassination of the third Shogun, Minamoto Sanetomo, in 1219, destabilised the shogunal authority and created a window of opportunity for the imperial family members and court nobles to regain power.

Go-Toba issued a decree in 1221 for the overthrow of the Hojo regent Yoshitoki. Yasutoki, Yoshitoki’s son, occupied Kyoto and supressed this imperial resistance. The current emperor at the time, Chukyo, was disposed, and the retired emperors Go-Toba and Juntoku were exiled. In Chukyo’s place, the Shogunate installed Go-Horikawa as emperor (1221 - 1232). As a result of this attempt the Shogun had established a military presence in Kyoto to supervise the court activities especially any activity that may lead to another plot against the Shogun.

The clans and the families who had participated in the imperial resistance against the Shogun had their lands confiscated and were awarded to those who were loyal and in the service of the Shogun. This ensured an enhanced political status for the Shogun who is now recognized as ruler of Nihon.

The history of the imperial uprising and their resistance against the shogunal authority is mostly forgotten nevertheless those that remember such history are those that joined the ranks with The Pure.

Mongol Invasions
During the Kamakura Period, despite the constant domestic intrigues involving Kyoto aristocrats and rival warrior families vying for power, Nihon sustained a significant threat from beyond its shores. The Mongols, who had taken control of The Celestial Empire, made two attempts to invade and conquer Nihon. It was Kublai Khan (1215 - 1294) the grandson of Genghis Khan founded by Khan Dynasty in 1271 and became the first Mongol emperor of The Celestial Empire. His capital, the northern city of Dadu which in the later years after the ARS would later be known as Beijing is where he was situated when he decided to make his attempt of contacting Nihon.

The Celestial Empire is situated on an entirely different continent located to the north of Nihon. Their history is largely unknown to those living in Nihon. The only contact that Nihon has ever had with The Celestial Empire was the Mongol invasions back when The Celestial Empire was under Mongol control. It would not be until after the ARS that The Celestial Empire would once again be under the rule of the Celestials themselves, which would occur after the great civil war between the Celestials and the Mongols.

Kublai Khan turned his attention to Nihon, thus sending a letter to the King of Nihon, the Emperor and the Shogun, in 1268 that the Nihon-Jin pay tribute to the Khan Dynasty. This and subsequent missives where ignored by the Emperor and the Shogun. As a result, Kublai Khan made his first attempt to invade Nihon in 1274.He dispatched an army of reportedly numbering 40,000 warriors to Kyushu. Soon after a successful landing, much of the Mongol army and its fleet of ships were destroyed by a typhoon. The troops that survived retreated back to where the invasion had originated. Taking into consideration the fragile political state of Nihon it was no surprise but they wanted nothing to do with The Celestial Empire. Despite the great amount of power that The Celestial Empire held, even though it was undergoing many changes as a result of the Mongols invading them and overthrowing their rulers. It was the attempted invasion of Nihon that brought down the Mongols power allowing for a civil war to break out in The Celestial Empire thereby restoring control back to the Celestials.

Undeterred, in 1275 Kublai Khan renewed his demands that the Nihon-Jin paid tribute to his empire. Despite multiple missives sent, his demands were again ignored. This time however, the Shogunate had anticipated a second invasion force. They fortified coastal defences and built a wall around Hakuta Bay in Kyushu at considerable cost to the Kyushu vassals. This time, two large armies were dispatched. After a brief occupation, a typhoon once again destroyed much of the invading army and navy. And once again, the Mongols were forced to retreat to the continent. The typhoons that destroyed the Mongols on these two occasions came to be known as “divine winds” (kamikaze). The Nihon-Jin believed that the Shinto god’s (kami) had furnished divine protection for the archipelago.

It is unknown exactly what caused typhoons to destroy the invading Mongol army. It would be years later when they would discover that it was both the gods and Shinju that intervened to lay waste to the Mongol army.

The victory over the Mongols unfortunately came at a high economic cost and hardship as well as political ramifications. The coastal defences remained on guard for many years despite no subsequent invasions ever recurring. The Shogunate responded in a similar manner to the Jokyu Disturbance, they dispatched deputies in Kyushu and in the western provinces of Honshu to oversee the defence efforts. Both financial and human losses were sustained in efforts to reinforce and defend the country. As reserves were depleted, the economic and political might of the Kamakura Shogunate was thereby weakened.

It was these actions that would lead to the decline of the Kamakura Shogunate. Many military stewards’ became insolvent. Such economic strains also damaged the relationship between the Hojo and their vassals. Embroiled in renewed domestic instability, the relationship between The Celestial Empire and Nihon would not be reinstated until much later.

It would not be until after The Celestial Empire had restored itself under Celestial rule that contact between The Celestial Empire and Nihon would once again be renewed. Whatever animosity that Nihon felt towards The Celestial Empire would fade away when knowledge of the civil war and the Mongols came to light.

Decline of the Kamakura Shogunate
The pre-existing political and economic strains were merely exacerbated by the Mongol invasions and hasted the decline of shogunal authority. The circumstances of the decline were the poor administration of land and estates many of which were exempt from tax, the weakened ties between the Kamakura Shogunate and regional officials, the rising economic costs of maintaining the defence in anticipation of further Mongol invasions, the inability to sufficiently reward those who assisted the Shogun in defending Nihon during the two invasion attempts, the ineffectual leadership of the Hojo regents, and the disputes within the imperial family over lines of imperial succession.

It was the poor form of economics and the way it was managed that continued even after the ARS it was only after the Hidden Villages were created that economic stability was achieved in some way.

It was the vassals that suffered great hardship in the aftermath of the Mongol invasions. Not only were they economically strapped in providing the defence of their homeland, the mechanisms for enjoying the spoils of war were absent in the case of them Mongol invasions. Internal warfare in Nihon usually resulted in the victor acquiring lands of the defeated. That was how lords repaid vassals for their military service. In the case of the Mongolian invasions neither land nor wealth was available to the vassals; instead they were placed in heavy debt.

What one has to realise at this point in time is that soldiers were not paid with money, even the clans were not paid with money. The reason there were given land was that the farmers and artisans would work on that land. The tax that the Clan would impose was essentially what they would earn for the year. Essentially it was not money that they were paid with but rice, the number of bushels of rice the clan earned determined their wealth amongst the other clans.

Economic conditions were also a cause of decline. Landowners who borrowed money to help meet mounting expenses had to forfeit their land in lieu of repayment if they could not meet loan terms, including high interest rates. As nobles, shrines, and temples lost control of land assets, including the revenue farmers and artisans paid annually as taxes to landowners, labour and goods produced by these lowest classes were more likely to enter the marketplace. Since many farmers and artisans could barely subsist on yields left over after meeting tax obligations, diversion of their products to markets fostered economic growth. However the lack of protection for farmers and artisans working on publicly held land of plots they had obtained from loan foreclosure lead to political uncertainty and economic instability as the military, clerics, and nobles-the most educated, highest-ranking members of society-became insolvent.

Because a lot of a high ranking and highly educated people were becoming insolvent, essentially bankrupt, the economy of the country actually improved. Although why that happened and why it was happening was not investigated at the time. It wasn’t until after the ARS and the beginning of the Hidden Villages at the economy actually improved and became stabilised due to a new form of government.

Another concern with greater impact on warrior society was the dearth of land. Increasing numbers of warriors required land in return for their service to and support of the Shogunate, but a limited quantity of available land had to be distributed among burgeoning warrior houses. To alleviate the problem, land inheritance was restricted, usually to the eldest son. The result was that inherited land slated to be divided among many heirs became the property of a lone descendant, and family members who would have acquired land dispensations in the past were forced to defer instead to a single family head. Even in instances where land could be provided in return for service or loyalty to the shogun, other problems arose. This form of inheritance brought forth a whole new set of conflicts. As some even considered murdering the elder son and taking their place as the new eldest. It essentially gave birth to a whole new form of inter-house politics and espionage. Allegiance to the Kamakura Shogunate eroded when warriors’ faithful to the Shogunate was sent to distant areas of Nihon to oversee land parcels. Further, families with powerful provincial domains-such as the Ashikaga began to challenge the Hojo family for control. As loyalty towards the Hojo-controlled regions declined, rebellions occurred, and the regents had an increasingly difficult time suppressing insurgents. Rather than renewing their allegiance to the Hojo, provincial warrior families entered into partnerships with other local landholders. These regional powers often ignored Hojo laws and instead created their own rules and procedures, sometimes revolting against the military stewards. Such unstable politics and financial insolvency eventually led to the collapse of the Shogunate. The rising amount of rebellions was proof of the people’s displeasure of the Hojo regent’s. This is all due to the Hojo’s poor economic decisions.

A final dispute, this time over imperial succession, implicated the Hojo and thus became an opportunity for members of the imperial family to wrest control away from the Shogunate and to reinstate actual imperial rule, if only for a brief time. In 1275, a dispute arose over which of two of Go-Saga’s sons would succeed him on the throne. Since Go-Saga died without choosing a successor, the two sons therefore became rivals, each attempting to claim the throne. The two lines were the senior and junior lines thus sparking even more conflict as the Shogunate at the present time made it clear that the inheritance was to go to the eldest son. The effect of this action would echo even after the ARS and even after and during the Hidden Villages.

The Hojo decided to create a compromise by calling for alternating successions between the two lines. In 1318, Prince Takaharu of the junior line became the emperor Go-Daigo (r. 1318 - 1339). Go-Daigo ignored the Hojo compromise and named his son as the next in line for succession, instead of passing it onto the senior line. The Hojo proved to be ineffective at dealing with the protests that Go-Daigo’s actions provoked, resulting in a stalemate that lasted for five years. Finally the Shogunate threatened Go-Daigo militarily and so the emperor fled Kyoto.

The far reaching consequences of Go-Daigo’s decision could not have possibly been foreseen. As even after the ARS there were those within the imperial family who still harboured certain level animosity against other members of the imperial family.

The Shogunate had banished him to Oki Island in 1332 but he escaped exile. Go-Daigo’s cause was championed by powerful military houses displeased with Hojo rule. He joined forces with former Hojo vassals Ashikaga Takauji(1305-58) and Nitta Yoshisada(1301-38) to overthrow the Hojo regents in 1333. In Kyoto, forces led by Ashikaga Takauji attacked by the Kyoto at the headquarters of the Hojo while Nitta Yoshisada commanded an army that assaulted the Shogunate in Kamakura. This decisive action effectively ended the Kamakura Shogunate.

Even though the Kamakura Shogunate ended the Hojo clan still managed to retain a certain level of power.

The Kemmu Restoration and the Northern and Southern Courts
Go-Daigo returned to Kyoto to claim the throne and initiated the Kemmu Restoration (1333 - 1336). The Emperor took a number of reforms that he believed would assure that imperial rule would be established and maintained without any challenge. To ensure the control of the samurai the Emperor set up a number of guard stations to oversee samurai affairs.

The samurai families were not at all pleased with the new reforms and many shocked that after the Emperor had enacted such new laws. Especially considering that many of these families had supported him in the fight to reclaim the throne. The Emperor also placed a number of imperial family members in provincial leadership roles. Many military chiefs posed challenges to the Emperor’s vision of direct imperial rule. Warriors who had aided the Emperor against the previous government did not relish in the new reforms, most were convinced that he had deprived them of power and authority that they had earned in exchange for their military support. The current economic state of Nihon was in shambles as the aftermath of the Hojo regency left little considering most of it was spent for the defence of Nihon in case of another Mongol invasion. Thus, Go-Daigo did not have the necessary resources to reward to his retainers. Even though the Emperor was aware of the rising unrest he still taxed the samurai so that renovations could be made to the imperial palace. In this event left a very deep scar in the minds of many samurai families. Even after the ARS there are groups of people who believe that imperial rule should never come to pass. While some of these people joined The Pure, others simply banded together to form groups that attempt to constantly assassinate and eliminate the imperial family. Sensing weakness in the Emperor’s authority, Ashikaga Takauji revolted against Go-Daigo, thereby occupying Kyoto decisively in 1336 after an initial failure. Takauji forced the Emperor to flee, but Go-Daigo managed to rally pro-imperial forces and set up a rival court at a safe distance from the capital. After this retreat, Takauji enthroned Go-Daigo’s rival, Emperor Komyo, who was from the senior imperial line. Emperor Komyo immediately appointed Takauji as Shogun. In the meantime, Go-Daigo, representing the junior line of succession, claimed the legitimate right to the throne from his court at Yoshino, in the mountainous Kii peninsula south of Kyoto. This event split the imperial family into two during the latter years of the ARS. The political backlash allowed for some members of the imperial family to plot and conspire against others.

The period of the Northern and Southern Courts (1336 - 92) lasted for nearly 60 years. The Northern Court, or senior line, was supported by the Ashikaga family and situated at Kyoto. The Southern Court, or junior line, was located at Yoshino and supported by followers of Go-Daigo. Both claimed to be the legitimate imperial line. It was not until 1392 that Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358 - 1408), Takauji’s grandson and third Ashikaga Shogun, was able to reconcile the two courts and reinstate imperial succession through the Northern Court line.

Establishment of the Muromachi Shogunate
Ashikaga Takauji assumed the title Shogun in 1338 and established the Muromachi Shogunate in Kyoto, retaining the major governmental and administration offices of the Kamakura Shogunate. In 1378, his grandson Ashikaga Yoshimitsu(1358-1408 r. 1368-94), moved the Shogunate headquarters to Kyoto’s Muromachi district, an area then on the northwest outskirts of the city, for which the Ashikaga Shogunate is named. As in the Kamakura era, land ownership, military reserves, and the tenor of regional politics largely determined the power and fortunes of the Shogunate. It was the rise to becoming the new Shogunate that allowed the Ashikaga to gain tremendous power. Even after the ARS the Ashikaga clan retains a great amount of respect amongst the other clans of Nihon.

Due to the lack of significant landholdings and military might, the Ashikaga had to ensure loyalty and alliances with provincial military governors and powerful vassals. These family factions were critical in order to consolidate their power. Takauji was careful to install his most trusted vassals, now considered Daimyo in their own right, in the highest posts. These high ranking lords also served as military governors in regions bordering Kyoto. Due to their close proximity to the capital, the Ashikaga Shogunate was able to maintain a close watch on their movements and by giving them a superior rank; it heightened their loyalty to the Shogunate. These ties continue even after the ARS.

Vassals were also situated in Kyushu, the far north, and in Eastern Nihon. The government of such outlying areas could vary greatly. Some regional lords did not even live in their domains, and some held territories as large as several provinces, or in many far flung areas that they could not manage simultaneously.

This behaviour was increasingly popular during the Hidden Villages creation. As succession continued in the Ashikaga line, personal ties obligating daimyo to the Shogunate weakened, and some regional lords became essentially independent of the central government. This of course would lead to another conflict; therefore the Ashikaga took steps to prevent another civil war from breaking out. In the later years following the ARS it was popular to reaffirm alliances, familial ties, and clan friendships through marriages.

In 1367 the Ashikaga created the position of Deputy Shogun, and Yoshimitsu made judicious use of these representatives of which he had selected from three main families, Hosokawa, Shiba, and Hatakeyama. He alternated their appointments in that capacity to prevent abuse of power.

While this made the three clans feel favoured by the Ashikaga clan and the Shogunate, it also had its own share of problems. The three clans would become rivals and would try to earn more favour with the Shogun than the other clans.

These Deputy Shoguns and other agents of the Shogun worked to suppress and even eliminate powerful Military Agents and lords who impeded Shogunal authority – for example, assisting Yoshimitsu in crushing the Yamana family in 1391 and ousting Ouchi Yoshihiro in 1399.

The actions of the Deputy Shoguns towards the Yamana and Ouchi Clan would create a great feeling of animosity that would continue even after the ARS. Yoshimitsu also fostered positive strides in Japanese politics, society, and culture, brokering the unification of the Northern and Southern Courts. Even though the animosity continued till the present day.

Reducing the fearsome raids of Nihon-Jin pirates, who had been a rising problem since the Mongol Invasions as they harassed both Nihon and The Celestial Empire trade ships. Yoshimitsu re-established trade with The Celestial Empire’s Ming Dynasty. This improved trade and political relations between the two nations allowing for tourism to flourish.

Further, Yoshimitsu indulged in lavish patronage of the arts, including his monastic retreat, the Temple of the Golden Pavilion situated in Kyoto’s Kitayama district. Covered inside and out with gold leaf, the structure evoked in the glittering tribute to the glory and splendour of the Shogun. Considering these accomplishments, it was not surprising that Yoshimitsu’s reign is deemed the pinnacle of Muromachi Shogunate authority and prestige. After his death and 1408, there was a noticeable decline in Ashikaga leadership, and provincial chiefs such as lords and governors quickly filled the power void created as the Shogunate attended to their military campaigns. It was the reign of Yoshimitsu that garnered a lot of respect and power amongst the clans of Nihon. As many of his laws and rulings helped shape Nihon into what it is today.

Onin War
Civil war erupted in the area around Kyoto during the tenure of the eighth shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimasa(1436-90; r. 1449-76). The Onin War(1467-77), bearing the name of the era when the conflict began, was brought about by economic decline, famine, and disputes over succession practices for both regional Military Governor positions and the Shogunate. General economic deterioration was pushed further than before by the final unravelling of the private estates system. Power no longer resided with the agents of the Shogunate, or obligations owed to the Shogun; rather, authority depended upon steadfast vassals, securely held lands, fortifications such as castles, article acumen, and military skills. This decline in shogunal authority allowed for a number of clans to exercise their military and political power.

Concerns over shogunal succession resulted from the fact any Yoshimasa had produced no heir to follow him as shogun. Yoshimasa decided that his younger brother should become the next shogun, but when Yoshimasa fathered a son, a power struggle ensued within the Ashikaga family. There are some lines descended from Yoshimasa’s brother that are willing to go to any lengths to reclaim the title of Shogun in their name.

Ashikaga administrators and Military Governors also entered the dispute. The Onin War started in 1467 when the forces of Hosokawa Katsumoto fought with those of Yamana Sozen (or Mochitoyo). Hosokawa’s army was supported by both the Emperor and the Shogun. The Yamana army was assisted by the powerful Ouchi Daimyo family. Fighting was concentrated in the Kyoto area and the capital was largely destroyed during the 10 years of the war. By the time the hostilities ended in the capital and 1477, warfare had spread to the provinces, where it continued.

The clans and families involved in this war are still quite hostile to each other even after the ARS and many times they have enlisted Shinobi to attack one another. Revolts of significant scope began to occur on a nearly annual basis as the Shogunate became less concerned with suppressing such disturbances. Regional lords’ long dependent upon Shogunate clout to dissuade their most assertive vassals from rebelling could no longer assume that their domains were protected by loyalty. This was especially true as the rising tensions gave way for clans to gear up for war.

When Ashikaga Yoshinori (1394 – 1441; r. 1429 - 1441) was assassinated the political climate had become one heading for war on a large scale. Certain Daimyo and lords had already consolidated their power in domains that were far from the Shogunate’s reach and were effectively running without a centralised government.

Taking into account the uncertain economic times, the rapid change in land administration and ownership contributed to the circumstances that lead to the breakdown of the Ashikaga Shogunate. The collapse of Ashikaga authority in 1467 unleashed internecine struggles for land control. The local Military Governors took the opportunity to use their power to collect the taxes they usually collected for the Daimyo into their own pockets. The shift from shogunal succession to hereditary and local control was a major factor for factions that completely disregarded the Shogunate.

The Ashikaga in a poor attempt to cover their expenditures raised the tax that the farmers and merchants had to pay. In addition to famine and weather catastrophes the economic climate was one of increasing poverty.

Yoshimasa retreated to the Silver Pavilion and thus it was left to the Hosokawa to take up the lack of control and responsibility. Their retainers, the Miyoshi clan, usurped the Hosokawa and took control until they too were overthrown by the Matsunaga clan.

The only benefit to this chaos was that the individual provinces had issued many works that improved the production and labour and therefore foster better economic growth, at least on a smaller scale.

Warring States Period – Sengoku Jidai
The Sengoku Jidai (1467 - 1568), known as ‘The Warring States Period’ or ‘The Age of the Country at War’, refers to the 100-year era that was sparked by the conflict of the Onin War.

The failure of the Shogunate in maintaining central control was what allowed certain lower classed people or clans to overthrow higher class clans. The Daimyo kept a tight control on their estates and most of them issued their own local laws.

Contact with the Western Kingdoms
A exploration vessel shipwrecked off the coast of Nihon introduced the Western Kingdoms to the Nation. With the introduction of new forms of armour and weapons the people of Nihon were intrigued. The Westerners also brought their religions with them and though most were against it and even more never converted, there were a scant few that did.

The Shogunate was afraid of the rising number of people spreading their religion among Nihon and thus banned the Westerners from the nation of Nihon. There are some clans in Nihon that have changed from the Nihon style of combat to the Western style after the ARS. This is due to the different weapons and armour that the Westerners use.

The Unification of Nihon
In the last decade of the Sengoku Jidai the person who would become the next Shogun was down to three leaders. Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Nobunaga eventually took over most of the nation and then seized the capital thereby the next Shogun would be him. But before he could consolidate his power he was assassinated by his vassal, Akechi Mitsuhide. Toyotomi Hideyoshi took over and consolidated his power over Nihon and installed a variety of laws and regulations that were well received.

The betrayal of Nobunaga by Akechi is still remembered by those who have not forgotten during the ARS and after it.

Though Hideyoshi’s military and political savvy was impressive, he failed to pass the power onto his son. Hideyoshi’s son, Hideyori, was still quite young when his father passed away. Thus Hideyoshi arranged for five Daimyo to look after the Nation until he was of age. This unfortunately created a rivalry between the five lords. This was short lived as Tokugawa Ieyasu soon lead a power struggle for the title of Shogun and was supported by the factions that apposed Hideyori’s ascension to power. The matter was settled in the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. In order to consolidate his power he appointed himself as Shogun and established the Tokugawa Shogunate. Tokugawa secured his control over the Daimyo by manipulating the system that created them. Depending on the Daimyo he reduced their landholdings or removed them entirely. He either kept the confiscated lands for himself or gifted them to other lords and retainers.

Ieyasu was Shogun for two years before he stepped down and handed over the reins to his son Hidetada. It was behind the scenes that Ieyasu worked to solidify the power and authority of the Shogunate. In 1615 he defeated his last rival for the Shogunate Hideyori and those loyal to the Toyotomi clan in the battle at Osaka Castle. The battle between Tokugawa and Toyotomi is a rivalry that continues still to this day long after the ARS.

Edo Period
The Edo Period (1615 - 1868) was a period of time that the Tokugawa had been in control of the nation. It was the longest lasting era of peace that Nihon had. The Edo period is distinguished from the others as it had a strong central rule, in which the Daimyo all reported to the Shogun. The warrior class was in complete control of the nation.

The Second Sengoku Jidai
The Tokugawa were still solidifying their control of Nihon when the second outbreak of total war began in 1629. The first instance of the war broke out in Kyushu and Hokkaido, which spread to the rest of the nation. The period was marked by the various lords all desiring more power whilst the Shogunate had only just solidified its grasp on the its own provinces and the lands of their allies. The period of war seemed to appear as though it would be as violent and as long lasting as the previous one. During this period the Shogunate had proposed an idea that forever changed the political climate of Nihon. A dual-rulership of Nihon between the Shogunate and the Imperial clans. Where the Shogunate had total control over the nation, it would now then be split into two halves. The proposal was successful and was solidified through marriage, between Tokugawa Iemitsu(the current Shogun at the time) and Kazu-no-miya Okiko(The daughter of the Emperor at the time).

With the backing of the Imperial family the Tokugawa clan and their allies were able to maintain a stalemate against the rebelling provinces.

The Arrival of the Western Fleet
In 1703 the Shogun and the Emperor sent missives to the kings of the Western Kingdoms, and the Celestial Empire, informing them that the nation had once again opened her shores to other nations. The first ships to arrive were the military fleet under the command of Matthew Perry. Perry carried the authority to re-establish new trade agreements and once again solidify new opportunities for the two nations to co-exist in harmony.

The ports of Nihon were once again open and from these trade ports came the trading routes between Nihon, The Celestial Empire, and The Western Kingdoms that once existed centuries ago. It was the due to the new trading that came in that the city of Tokyo became the new capital of Nihon.

Even though the nation of Nihon was still in the midst of a civil war, the opening of the nation’s borders was well within the power of the Shogunate and the Imperial family. It was a major advantage for the pro-Shogunate side of the war as the majority of docks and ports were in provinces under their control. The influx of wealth and goods bolstered their side and provided added funds and resources.

The Nomadic Citadels and the Grand Alliance
From the East far beyond where Nihon resides is the desert continent that is the home of the Nomads who live in floating citadels. They came seeking trade and found Nihon in 1711, and through Nihon they also found The Celestial Empire and The Western Kingdoms. Nihon and the other two nations had already forged trade agreements and when the Nomads arrived the political scene changed forever.

The Shogunate and the Emperor of Nihon proposed that these four nations create what is known as the Grand Alliance. The four nations created a set of treaties that would ensure a long-lasting span of peace between them, and to avoid any conflict. The Grand Alliance was signed in 1754.

The Climax of the Sengoku Jidai
In the year 1779 the civil war had reached its climax. Despite the increase of resources from foreign trade, the pro-Shogunate side of the civil war was still held in a stalemate with the rebel factions. Those who supported and were allied with the Shogunate were mostly born from samurai clans and families. While they were more skilled they were matched by the sheer numbers of those from the rebel factions. A dead-lock between quality against quantity.

The judicious use of Ashigaru(common foot-soldiers) by the rebels couldn’t last forever, the number of men they enlisted couldn’t keep up with the superior tactical skill of the pro-Shogunate side. At the same time the pro-Shogunate side couldn’t keep up the amount of resources necessary to fund the war with their preference for higher skilled warriors.

The losses were affecting both sides as mountains of corpses grew bigger and bigger. The war was taking a toll on the nation as a whole.

The Forbidden Fruit and the Moon Rabbit Goddess
Whilst the war raged across the nation of Nihon, many people sought to find peace within the walls of holy shrines and temples. Many prayed to the gods for answers and salvation, and whilst they responded with signs that they heard their cries, it seemed even the gods wouldn’t interfere in the affairs of mortals.

One temple in particular was built around a great tree that exuded a power that was beyond the grasp of their understanding, the tree was named the Shinju(God Tree). This tree suddenly bore a fruit that gave an even stronger aura of the mysterious power that belonged to the tree. The fruit was declared a sacred divine artefact and it was forbidden to be touched, let alone eaten.

One night a mysterious woman appeared at the temple. The woman was in possession of very delicate facial features, long sweeping hair of a colour so light that one could easily mistake it for white that touched the ground. Most noticeable of her features were two horn like protrusions which stuck out from her head. She possessed eyes whose colour was white as the fresh snow. Her eyebrows were cut very short — a symbol of nobility and divinity at that period of time.

Her name was Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, and she consumed the forbidden fruit. With the consumption of the fruit born from the Shinju, she gained the power to manipulate Chakra. She also gained a Kekkei Genkai(Bloodline Limit) that was a fusion of the Rinnegan(Samsāra Eye) and the Sharingan(Copy Wheel Eye), in addition to the bloodline that she was originally born with known as the Byakugan(White Eye).

The End of the Sengoku Jidai
Ōtsutsuki with the power of Chakra at her command used it to create illusions that spanned across the nation of Nihon, known as a limited form of the Mugen Tsukuyomi(Infinite Moon Reader). With this power she convinced both the pro-Shogunate and the rebel sides to cease all conflict and bring an end to the civil war. Any who opposed her visions of peace were utterly destroyed by her god-like techniques created with Chakra. It was for her fierce powers that some called her a demon.

The end of the Sengoku Jidai in 1781 was with the rebels being assimilated into the Shogunate. With the unification of the nation under the duel-rulership of the Shogunate and the Imperial family brought a period of peace and recovery.

The Trade Armada and Technological Revolution
It was at this point where the nation of Nihon focused its efforts towards foreign affairs and trade. This allowed Nihon to recover from the horror of the civil war far quicker than on its own. One of the ancient laws set in place by the rulers of Nihon was that the land was to be respected. The environment is an issue that Nihon takes great care with as many of their goods are natural resources. The diverse botanical wonders are a direct result of the Shinju’s influence on the land. The Natural Chakra that resides in and flows through the environment alters and in some cases speeds up the evolutionary process.

The Western Kingdoms are lands in which great effort is needed to restore an environment to its natural state after harvesting all the resources required. Thus their lifestyle was rarely one where they live in harmony with the land. To make up for this they focused on the advancement of technology. The use of fire and steam as a fuel source marked the beginning of their industrial revolution. It was not until a mage named Thomas Edison created a system of lightning rods to collect power that electricity became the new fuel source.

With the introduction of electricity the West advanced in leaps and bounds. But with these advancements were the same problems of the maintenance of the environment. So they negotiated a trade agreement with Nihon, in which they would exchange technology for natural resources and knowledge on how to improve their homelands.

The fleet of ships that sail to and fro from Nihon to the West is known as the Trade Armada. The agreement was signed in 1795.

The Birth of the Rikudo Sennin
Ōtsutsuki eventually gave birth to two sons, one of which would become the Rikudo Sennin(Sage of Six Paths). Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo is the Rikudo Sennin who preached the principles of Ninshū(Shinobi Sect) to Nihon. He was born in 1786. The teachings of Ninshū were meant to give people a better understanding of themselves, as well as others, and lead the world into an era of peace. Ninshū would eventually come to be known as Ninjutsu, a more weaponized version of the Sage's teachings. These principles were personally spread and taught by Hagoromo in 1806.

The origins of Chakra are born from Ninshū. The purpose of Chakra was to enable people to connect with each other a gain a form of understanding that would previously be almost impossible to achieve. Hagoromo exemplified his teachings by distributing chakra meant to "connect" people's spiritual energies with one another. It would allow people to understand each other without communication. Hagoromo did this by not only connecting to as many people as possible, but by also altering their genetic code to enable them to naturally form Chakra and pass such a gene onto their descendants. However people didn't use the chakra to connect with others, but to instead connect their inner spiritual and physical energies together. They kneaded their inner chakra to amplify it and transform it into modern-day Ninjutsu. In the end, they ended up using their chakra in battle, just as Hagoromo's mother Kaguya did.

In 1808 the Shinju awakened after noticing the fruit had been stolen from it. Angered by this, it transformed into a demon of god-like power. Hagoromo and his brother fought the Shinju which was renamed as the Jūbi(Ten Tails) and defeated it by sealing it within Hagoromo’s body.

According to Jiraiya, his great deeds and ultimate desire to bring peace to the war-torn world made him widely known as the Saviour of this World.

The Birth and Feud of Indra and Asura
Hagoromo's ultimate wish was to establish peace across the world, but it was a goal that would never be achieved in a single lifetime. Knowing this, he chose to entrust his dream and legacy to his two sons, and began to teach them Ninshū. They were born in 1811. The older son, Indra, was acknowledged by Hagoromo as a true prodigy, who quickly began to revel in his natural prowess and became very solitary. The younger son, Asura, proved to be the exact opposite, having shown no special abilities or natural talent, but he pushed on through his limitations, growing stronger and more mature because of his struggles and making friends along the way.

Indra was the first son of Hagoromo, inheriting his father's eyes, his powerful chakra, and spiritual energy. From a young age, he demonstrated great talent towards Ninshū and anything he applied his mind to. Because of his prowess, he lead a solitary life — having no need to depend on others. When Hagoromo was on his deathbed, he selected Indra's younger brother, Asura, to carry on his dream of establishing peace throughout the world.

As a child, Asura lived in his genius brother Indra's shadow in every conceivable way, having displayed no natural talent himself. Because of this, Asura came to realise the value of others and their power of the many friends and allies he made before eventually awakening his own power which equalled that of Indra's.

Angry and jealous that his father had not chosen him, Indra fought against Asura to claim what should have been his birth-right. His descendants, who would become the Uchiha clan, would continue this fight with his younger brother's descendants, the Senju clan. The feud began in 1828 and continued done through the ages.

The Ninja Sengoku Jidai
The introduction of Chakra to the people of Nihon sparked a proxy war in 1854 that began with rival ninja clans seeking to eliminate each other and steal their secrets. This war would turn out to be a very bloody battle between ninja for many years. It was the Shogunate and the Emperor who declared that if these hostilities spill innocent blood then the entire weight of the Nihon military would bear down on them. Thus the conflict only existed between ninja clans and would continue for a little more than three centuries.