Alt-Onin War - Edo, Seat of the Eastern Court

 The great city of Edo is the largest city in eastern Japan, and is the seat of the Eastern Court. Many thousands of people, commoners, samurai, nobles, and priests now live in the shadow of nearby Mount Fuji.

Edo Castle sits in the center, serving as both defensive strongpoint and Imperial palace. To the west lies “Yamanote”, the hilly samurai districts that serve as home to visiting daimyo and the large number of warriors in the city. To the east, thousands of peasants and merchants make their home near the Sumida River in the district known as ”Shitamachi”, which is also home to the Yoshiwara pleasure district. The Sumida River is lined with various warehouses and crossed by the Edo Bridge. This area serves as the commercial heart of the city. The Senso-ji Temple, a Tendai Buddhist temple located northeast of the city center, protects the city spiritually.

Edo was once was a sleepy coastal town until 1394, when Emperor Go-Kameyama fled Yoshino to avoid capture by the Ashikaga Clan. He was accompanied and supported by the similarly displaced Shimazu and Otomo Clans of Kyushu, who supported his cause in exchange for new lands in the north. Several existing clans in the region were displaced or absorbed. The Otomo claimed Musashi Province, and the Shimazu took Shimotsuke and Hitachi. In addition, alliances were forged with the Shiba, the Takeda of Kai, and the Utsunomiya of Kozuke. 

This created a secure heartland for the exiled clans and the Eastern Court, largely immune to attack by the Ashikaga and their allies. Over time, Edo grew into a large castle town and a second Imperial capital, albeit a distant second to Kyoto in size and refinement.

Note: This article will be added to as more information becomes available. 

Major NPC's of the Eastern Court

Emperor Go-Kinyama – Descendant of the original exile Go-Kameyama, the Eastern emperor is a devious and scheming individual whose main goal is to extend his domain over a unified Japan. He is willing to do nearly anything to that end. On the other hand, he is an effective monarch. He is hindered by a bad temper and acquisitive mind, though he is smart enough to treat his allies with respect and reward them, as he is able. Go-Kinyama is a young man in his early twenties.

Sojun, Head Abbot of Senso-Ji – The Tendai Buddhist leader of the powerful Sensoji Temple and associated shrines, Sojun is an honest and hard-working man who tends to look beyond the concerns of the moment and make longer-term plans. In addition to having the ear of the emperor, he also has a force of hundreds of fanatical sohei at his beck and call, making him a force to be reckoned with. Sojun is wary of the Emperor, fearing that his flexible morals may overpower his good sense.

Daimyo Shiba Yoshiyori, Lord of Shinano, Owari, and Echizen – Lord Yoshiyori is an older man, beset on all sides by internal dissension within his clan. Having reached old age without a living heir, his clanmates are now jockeying for position. Despite this disharmony, the Shiba remain the most powerful clan in the Eastern Court. Yoshiyori tends to council prudence and reserve, though on rare occasions the old spark returns and he throws his weight around.

Daimyo Shimazu Tadamasa, Lord of Hitachi and Shimotsuke – Second most powerful among the Kanto Council, the head of the Shimazu Clan is an industrious and practical man, who advises toward reconciliation with the Western Court. Tadamasa feels that none but the Mongols benefit from a divided Japan, though he believes that unity under the Eastern Court is a better option than the corrupt leadership in Kyoto.

Daimyo Takeda Nobukame, Lord of Kai – This boastful leader of the Takeda is loyal to the Eastern Court, but still maintains good relations with the Shogun personally. He is able to travel to Kyoto and periodically serves as an envoy. His main priority is the welfare of his own clan, which he sees as aligned with the Eastern Court. Nobukame is known to be a libertine, fond of both drink and women.

Daimyo Otomo Yoshinaga, Lord of Musashi – Imperious and condescending, Otomo Yoshinaga would make few friends were it not for his impeccable sense of honor and upstanding morals. The head of the Otomo Clan tends to a voice for straightforward confrontation of issues, unimaginative to a fault. On the other hand, he is the most loyal follower of Go-Kinyama, considered an absolutely reliable blunt instrument. It is often Lord Otomo who serves as an unwavering pole star to keep the Emperor from straying off an honorable course.

Daimyo Utsunomiya Munekatsu, Lord of Kozuke – The leader of the Utsunomiya is a devout “Pure Land” Buddhist, warm and friendly but somewhat insecure of his position. He tends to back the strongest horse in any debate, constantly attempting to establish his value and position at the council. His clan is the smallest of the five, and his opinion consulted the least often.