Live as a ronin, survive the consequences of your choices in a dynamic world of turmoil and violence. An RPG game about camaraderie and betrayal, about war and peace, and above all honor, coming to PC and consoles.
According to Akira Kurosawa’s perspective, “the Japanese see self-assertion as immoral, and self-sacrifice is the sensible course to take in Life.” This is because one must serve their master, the shogun, or the emperor. However, this hypothesis is challenged in Seven Samurai, a classic film that inspired Roger Ebert to write: “Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai…
Fox spirits like kitsune are found across many cultures, but the tanuki is a spirit unique to Japan. Tanuki yokai are based on a real animal the same way that kitsune are based on foxes. Traditionally, it is believed that all tanuki have supernatural powers that they use for mischief, trickery, and entertainment. In real…
Itako are blind women who serve as spirit mediums. In ancient Japan, blindness was once considered a sign of spiritual powers, so only young girls who were born blind could become itako. Traditionally, an itako’s training began around the ages of 11 to 13 years old. The girls would endure strict ascetic training and ritualized…
Shugendo is a religion that originates between the late Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura (1185–1333) periods. This ancient ascetic tradition flourished at a time when Buddhism was being imported from China. Combined with the appreciation for art in the Japanese imperial court, the arrival of organized religion and literacy allowed Shugendo to make its mark. The…
The Edo Period in Japan was a time of great religious and social change. The Tokugawa Bakufu, the military government established by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603, brought an end to the strife of the Warring States period and ushered in a new era of peace and stability. This period saw the continued practice of Shintoism,…
