JAPAN

General
JAPAN is a nation floating off the south east of the main continent in the World of Rance. It is connected to the main continent by the Tenman Bridge.

Because of the separation from the main continent, it has developed a very unique culture.

Appears in: Kichikuou Rance, Sengoku Rance

Mentioned in: Rance 5D, Rance 6

Politics
JAPAN is under a type of feudal system, with the lord of major houses each ruling their own territories (provinces). At times when there is no strong leadership, JAPAN goes into a warring states period ("sengoku"), where houses openly fight each other to gain territory.

History

 * NC0321 - The Holy Beast Orochi crashed into the main continent, splitting off a chunk of land that became the island nation of JAPAN.
 * Orochi became trapped inside JAPAN, keeping it afloat.
 * Approximately every 100 years or so, JAPAN suffers from a major earthquake.
 * Beings known as youkai began to appear in JAPAN.
 * Due to an oversight of the Goddess Amaterasu, the impact caused numerous Hell Holes to appear throughout JAPAN.


 * NC0440 - Amaterasu created the Tenman Bridge overnight, connecting JAPAN with the main continent.


 * NC068X - Fujiwara Ishimaru (藤原石丸) stole the three Emperor artifacts from the Oni and bested the first Youkai King Kurobe (黒部).


 * NC0700 - Fujiwara Ishimaru lead the army of JAPAN into the main continent. With only 20,000 human troops and 4,000 youkai, he nonetheless obliterated the 130,000-strong main continent army sent against him, conquering the western half of the main continent within 5 years.


 * NC0705 - The Demon King Nighcisa ordered the Demon Xavier to eliminate the arrogant humans. In just two months, Xavier's demon army won undefeated all the way across the Tenman Bridge into JAPAN.


 * NC0706 - In a final showdown, Fujiwara Ishimaru was killed by Xavier, and Kurobe was likewise destroyed. However, Fujiwara's adviser Geppei was able to seal Xavier.  Without Xavier's lead- and with their primary objective accomplished anyway- Xavier's army dispersed.
 * In the next few years, Tenshiism and the way of the Onmyouji were established by Geppei (月餅).


 * NC08xx - The First Sengoku Era of JAPAN. During this period, the Onmyouji techniques became institutionalized.


 * GL0002 - All the nations in the world, including JAPAN, were conquered by the Demon King Gele.


 * GL01xx - Under the terror and fear of Gele's slavery, Tenshiism greatly spread and became the largest religion of JAPAN.


 * GI0001 - First awakening of Xavier. As the event was prophesied by Tenshiism's founder 月餅, Tenshi followers were quick to reseal him.


 * GI01xx - With the "no interference" policy of the new Demon King Gi, humans of JAPAN began to band in houses again fighting for dominance, resulting in the Second Sengoku Era. It boiled down to a deadlock between the clans of Heishi (平氏) and Genji (源氏).


 * GI0362 - The Holy Magic Church conquered all of JAPAN with its iron soldiers.


 * GI0452 - Following the fall of the Holy Magic Church, JAPAN entered the Third Sengoku Era.


 * GI0455 - Ashikaga Takauji unified JAPAN, obtained all three Emperor artifacts, and became Emperor of JAPAN.


 * GI0460 - The Hojo House, with its continued development and research of Onmyouji, began to systematically seal the Hell Holes throughout JAPAN and put down the rampaging Onis (though the work continued for several hundred years to approach completion in the early LP era).


 * GI0500 - Xavier awakened again, this time taking Tenshiism into account, and ravaged JAPAN with his four acolytes. A yuusha wielding the holy sword Sunlight came to Tenshi's aid, allowing Tenshi monks to seal Xavier for the third time.  Xavier was sealed into 8 different gourds to be guarded by 8 daimyos, while his acolytes were sealed into the bodies of four Onmyouji masters.


 * GI0618 - Based on research and data collected from the GI0615 earthquake, the Miko Institute was established to collect negative emotions to suppress the magnitude of future earthquakes.


 * GI0910 - The collapse of the Ashikaga House. The beginning of the Fourth Sengoku Era.


 * GI1012 - The Great Youkai War led by the second Youkai King Kyouseikyuubi Matsuchi-joten (狂星九尾・末知女殿, later known as Omachi). One Eyed Masamune became the third Youkai King and led the majority of youkai to the northlands, away from the humans.


 * LP0004 - The Tanegashima House acquired Tulip, and began development of Muskets.


 * LP0005 - The third reawakening of Xavier. This time, he is killed for good by Rance.  The Oda House unified JAPAN.