Sakura Town

The population is largely (90%+) humans. Split between Sakuran humans and Imperial humans. No significant populations of elves, dwarves, Halfling / Hin etc exist with the notable exception of the Snow Elves of the Wulv Clan who maintain a small settlement up in the mountains. Kitsune and other magical races are still relatively rare in terms of the overall population despite their disproportionate influence in local politics (OOC Note: Kitsune/Dragons/etc are massively over represented in the PC population but account for only a tiny portion of the overall population which includes NPCs).   Total population of the region would be between 10,000 to 20,000. An accurate estimate being hard to provide since the area is very rural and the local government doesn't really keep a close eye on the surrounding areas.

The region is claimed and loosely controlled by the Sakura Village Council. Outside of Sakura Town itself, the region is largely lawless with the Council only exerting their authority on more significant issues. The few small hamlets and villages that exist largely govern themselves under the leadership of their Village Elders.

The town has a small network of defenses built in response to the various conflicts it's had over the years but for the most part it has depended on the Black Lotus dojo and it's defensible position at the top of the hill as the primary defense.   Currently Sakura Castle is under construction. It is a massive project with the total castle grounds dwarfing the entire town itself. The castle is not expected to be completed for a number of years yet.

Largely rural subsistence farming and focused around Sakura Town. Large number of wealthy foreigners moving in have caused a huge influx of wealth into the region along with a demand for imported goods, but the region itself doesn't generate much of anything to export. The locals themselves still heavily value barter or working with their own local currencies and gold is a secondary currency to them; but it is the primary currency for the foreigners and any foreign dealings.

The town is loosely split into the following districts:    

Sakura East

The oldest part of the town. It is built along the river and at the base of the hill from the Black Lotus Dojo. The Sake Den can be found here along with many houses and small farms.    

Sakura West

The poorest part of the town at the moment. It was hastily built to handle the influx of immigrants to the town. It is built on former swamp land and as a result many of the houses had to be built on piers. It is also neighboring the Yokai Forest and there are many superstitions abound as to whether this part of town is even safe.   Partly to assuage the towns folk's concerns the Lord Protector has funded the construction of a temple and an order of monks to ensure the safety of the townsfolk here from any stray malicious yokai that decide to get too close.    

Town Center

The new heart of the town. It contains most of the businesses and entertainment options along with the fairgrounds which are used to host various events.    

Noble District

Still partly under construction. It is located further up the mountain from the Town Center. This land has been set aside for Sakura's more powerful families to build their estates. Most notably Prince Hozumi's estate is located at the highest point of this district.    

Farmland

In order to support the growing population additional farmland was created within the river valley across the river. Thanks to efforts by Echika Hikari the spring time floods have been largely mitigated thanks to a system of dykes and now the farmlands are one of the faster growing parts of the town.   Sakata Isoroku is constructing his estate on the edge of this district and he has largely been granted authority to patrol and secure these lands.

Historically Sakura has mostly been dominated by the Black Lotus Dojo but as of late a number of other groups have started to form and gain influence over the town.   A few samurai clans have sprung into existence with support from the Lord Protector:

• Wulv 
• Wyrd 
• Hikari Clan 
• Murakami 

In addition there are also official factions working directly for the Sakuran government such as the Kissekigumi, and Sakuran Militia.   Finally there are also some informal factions establishing themselves. Some are simply families with significant wealth or influence but without official status as a clan such as the Mercuria Family, and others are criminal enterprises such as the Youko Kai.

The region has been dotted by various small hamlets and villages but the largest of them has been Sakura Village and with recent events it has become even more of the regional hub. It's unclear how the village came to be where it is considering how different the culture is from everything else around it. Local legend suggest it has something to do with the Yokai Forest forest and that if you get lost within, it can transport you across space and time. One theory that is becoming increasingly common is that the village was once part of a larger realm but somehow the entire village was transported to it's current location by some quirk of the Yokai Forest. Many of the recent Imperial citizens that have settled in the Village believe that the Village must have originally been a part of the Celestial Empire. The native Sakuran's are more likely to believe Kazan No Ryu brought them there to save them from some great calamity.   Regardless of the truth, the native Sakuran's just appeared one day on the edges of the Kingdom of Durakiss and King Sandro granted them permission to settle the land. Later in return for years of faithful and heroic service to the Crown, King Sandro granted the region to Reri Murakami along with her and the region's independence from his Kingdom. Thereby establishing Sakura as it's own independent region.   Reri Murakami would go on to establish the Black Lotus Dojo and it has been a central part of Sakura ever since. Its renown for training some of the most talented warriors around has brought a steady stream of students over the years and put an otherwise insignificant village on the map.   The Imperial invasion of Sakura Village has only accelerated the growth of the tiny village into the busy town it is today. The same growth has also resulted in significant population growth for the overall region and the number of small hamlets and villages has increased but none have gained any notable prominence yet.