Kamigawa

Kamigawa (kah-mee-GAH-wah); ) is a plane strongly based on Japanese culture, and was the setting for the Champions, Betrayers, Saviors, and Neon Dynasty expansions and their corresponding books. The plane is a globe with multiple continents, although only one has been featured in sets.
==Description==
The world of Kamigawa, positioned far from any other world we know, is governed by the interplay between the mortals and the kami, minor gods or spirits of the world. The Kakuriyo (kah-koo-REE-oh) or Reikai (RAY-kye) is the spirit world where the kami dwell; its other half is that of the Utsushiyo (oot-soo-SHEE-oh) where mortals live. Together they form a sphere that makes the whole of the world.
==History==
===Before the Kami War===
In the many millennia before the Kami War, the denizens of Kamigawa gave no thought to a place called the spirit world.(2005). Saviors of Kamigawa Player's Guide. Wizards of the Coast. They believed that the kami lived in the material world, the only world that mortals knew. The kami existed invisibly and imperceptibly, blessing those who lived simple and devout lives.
Once in a great while, a kami would "make itself visible" - or so the mortal world thought. The result would be a glowing light deep within a forest of bamboo, for example, or a disembodied shadow on the ground at dusk. These fleeting manifestations bolstered mortals' belief and encouraged their shrines, offerings, and oblations.
But the truth was more complicated. The veil between the utsushiyo and the kakuriyo, the material and spirit realms, was complex and variable. Each world could influence the other: Kami grew more powerful based on the number of mortals who worshipped them, and mortals could draw power from the kami through arcane means or strong faith.
Kamigawa was described by Nicol Bolas as a place where matter and spirit existed in perfect balance. In Kamigawa, every person, idea, and object had a kami, and the veil between worlds was no exception. The kami of the veil was perhaps the greatest kami of all because, without it, there could be no difference between flesh and spirit, between mortal and god. That kami was O-Kagachi.
===The Kami War===
Around 3200 AR, damage caused by the ringing of the Apocalypse Chime on Ulgrotha weakened the veil between the material realm and the spirit realm. This enabled the daimyo Konda and his moonfolk accomplices to use powerful magic to pull an aspect of O-Kagachi, the supreme kami of all kami, through the veil, thus beginning the Kami War.
Lord Konda's act greatly enraged the spirits, who turned against the physical world with a vengeance. The kami began to attack the physical world to reclaim That Which Was Taken, though most mortals knew nothing of Konda's crime nor understood why their gods had turned on them. Fearful and confused, humanity fought back, but the kami's numbers were endless. And since many spirits who manifested in the physical world could be defeated in battle but were able to return for future conflicts, it was ultimately a losing battle for the mortals.
With each spirit that manifested in the material world, the veil frayed a little more. After many years of these small breaches, the nature of the divide between worlds began to change. Mortals began to wield arcane energies that were never accessible to them when the veil was intact. Spirits took shape in ways that seemed to ignore the difference between life and death.
Shinen, "spirit fire," had become a hallmark of danger during the early years of the Kami War, because it heralded the arrival of a spirit in the material world. Whenever the veil between worlds was breached, there was a chance of flares of ectoplasmic energy. In the days of old, this energy was harmless, like foxfire. But as the war continued, the flares grew in size and intensity until they resembled raw mana, with the power to blind eyes, burn flesh, or taint minds.
The war finally ended in its twentieth year when Princess Michiko Konda, with the aid of the black magician Toshiro Umezawa and other allies, managed to free the kidnapped scion (which took the name Kyodai) and defeated O-Kagachi and Lord Konda. The death of O-Kagachi caused the barrier between the two realms to break down, thus precipitating the merging of the two realms (Kakuriyo and Utsushiyo). 
===The Shattered States era===
After the prosperous reign of Michiko Konda, her descendants worked tirelessly with the great kami Kyodai to maintain her legacy and uphold order and justice in Kamigawa. However, as generations passed, these noble pursuits gave way to dynastic in-fighting. 
Eventually, an emperor died young without an heir, creating a crisis of succession. Some believed it should be her brother, others her husband. With no guidance, Eiganjo descended into all-out war, and it spread across the kingdom when local lords saw the opportunity to seize individual power, fed by the <c>Myojin of Grim Betrayal</c>. Many died, noble and peasant alike.
The Yamazaki clan had served the Konda military for decades and earned a reputation for their unshakeable sense of duty to their citizens. A young Yamazaki soldier felt the two warring successors were betraying and endangering the Kamigawan people. Inspired by his own ancestor's story of challenging a deadly imperial decree, he took it upon himself to end the contest for the throne. He successfully assassinated the late emperor's husband, but when he went for the brother, he found his target armed and ready for battle in the throne room.
Upon seeing such confrontation in her chambers, Kyodai had enough. She stripped the Konda family of their hereditary duty as rulers. From then on, they would be ordinary citizens, and the emperor would never again be chosen by blood. Now, the kami would elect rulers for their noble qualities and commitment to the nation.
The dragon-kami previously had been some of the mortal realm's strongest protectors, and with most of them lost in the Kami War, malevolent forces soon began to wreak havoc. During the Shattered States Era, a wave of oni attacks swept across the land, culminating in a devastating event known as the Night of Withering that threatened the entire Plane.
To fight back, the orochi enacted a powerful ritual to resurrect Jugan, their original protector. The ritual was successful, and together Jugan and Ryusei defeated the oni incursion.
===The Era of Enlightenment===
With the guidance and wisdom of Kyodai, the Imperials ushered in an age of collective peace and prosperity. The arts flourished until performers lined every street, and strides were made to improve relations with the kami so mortals could live a harmonious life filled with magic. Minamo Academy was rebuilt with the promise of transparency to conduct research that would improve lives. New laws were written to ensure fair treatment of every citizen—mortal or spirit—renewing the faith in their leaders.
As decades and centuries passed, the mortals of Kamigawa noticed an increasing number of kami inhabitants sharing their homes. A few of these kami were friendly, but many more were upset, even dangerous. Having spent their lives in service to the kami, the monks of the Order of Jukai went to investigate. They discovered strange rifts in the atmosphere that ejected confused kami onto the Plane. The mortal and spirit realms had begun to overlap, and they would eventually merge into a single unified realm.
The Jukai brought this discovery to Eiganjo and Otawara, and they collaborated with the Imperials and Minamo to develop what would later be known as "merge gates." The Minamo scholars used their knowledge to invent the gate mechanisms. The Imperials used their infantry to erect them. But it was the Jukai who would greet the kami and welcome them to their new home. Through their combined effort, the mortals built gates around every new rift, ensuring the kami could safely become part of a new unified Kamigawa.
===The Modern Age===
For much of Kamigawa's history, power was concentrated in the hands of the elite: the Imperials who ran the Plane with Kyodai's blessings, various warlords, and those who could channel the power of the kami. More recently, however, Kamigawa has found itself facing significant disruption to this status quo as innovations have made access to power more widely and cheaply available to all. Key among these innovations were two: enhancers invented by the akki artisans of Sokenzanshi, and the method invented by the Saiba Futurists of drawing power directly from the spirit realm. 
The akki artisans had a long tradition of invention and ingenuity, as well as effectively using their scarce resources to great effect—including kami-granted powers. Thanks to the enhancer, even though few people had as deep relationships with the kami as some Imperials and the Order of Jukai, they were now able to apply more efficiently whatever powers they had been granted.
At the same time, the Saiba Futurists were conducting experiments with merges to test the nature of the spirit realm. As an unintended side effect, they discovered a way to draw on magic directly, without needing to form a bond with kami. Though the Sokenzanshi artisans and the Futurists weren't directly working together, these two technologies soon combined to form the basis of the boom in new technology that exploded across the Plane.
However, all this modernization isn't without its detractors. The Imperials have been trying to control the flow of new technology, attempting to maintain the stability that they see being pulled out from under their feet. The boom of all this technology has seen the rise of a new group that calls itself the Order of Jukai, who believe that this unrestrained use of technology is drawing on power in a reckless, dangerous manner that threatens to irreparably damage the fabric of the two realms.
Among the kami, opinions are mixed. Some kami are resistant, while others are more eager to see how things will change. Whatever their opinions, though, many see the appearance of new kami aligned with technology as a sign that the soul of Kamigawa itself has been irrevocably altered by this changing landscape of technological and social upheaval.
===Neon Dynasty===
More than 1,200 years after the events of the Kamigawa block, the two realms of Kamigawa are merging, and one day they will exist as one. Some wonder about what's beyond the merge gates, or how denizens of both realms will be affected when the merge is complete. 
The Imperials are still the main power in Kamigawa. The Kamigawans have discovered electricity, experienced an industrial revolution, and entered a computerized era. The Utsushiyo has transformed into a futuristic world of cyberpunk ninjas and samurai, where tradition and modernity meet. The kami feel threatened by the growth of the modern city of Towashi. Many have fled to the remains of the Jukai forest, and are hostile to humans. For this reason, Eiganjo trained many kami diplomats to try to keep the peace between the mortal and spirit realms. Some Kami have adapted to the electricity, taking on industrial-style bodies.
Seeking information on the spirit realm and the planeswalker's spark, Tezzeret was sent to Kamigawa by the New Phyrexian praetors to investigate. Clashing with the Emperor, he destabilized her spark with the prototype Reality Chip before escaping. Years later, Jin-Gitaxias traveled to the plane himself to continue his research, eventually unlocking the secret to compleating planeswalkers before implementing it on his first subject, Tamiyo. The Emperor was able to briefly stabilize her spark, reconnecting with Kyodai and ending the Asari Uprisers' rebellion before naming Light-Paws her regent and departing again.
===Phyrexian invasion===
Kamigawa was a target in New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse. Because of the pace of Kamigawa's development, Jin-Gitaxias's intelligence on the plane was already outdated when the invasion began;<c>Rooftop Saboteurs</c> however, the slow uptake from the Samurai meant those on the front lines were the first compleated, whereas the more technologically-inclined ninjas were better suited as defenders. With the citizenry familiar with the idea of interplanar assault, no time was wasted on skepticism.<c>War Historian</c> The Kami, incompleatable, were simply slaughtered, shrouding the streets with their residual mists.
During the invasion, the Boseiju District was the invasion force's prime target, and Boseiju itself was corrupted by the compleated planeswalker Tamiyo. The tree burst apart, and glistening oil ran from between the splinters. The tree's lower branches, usually inhabited by kami, were split apart. Tamiyo was then faced by Kaito and her adoptive son Nashi. After trying to recruit Kaito and Nashi to the ranks of New Phyrexia, Tamiyo engaged Kaito in battle. At the last possible moment, the Wanderer appeared and killed Tamiyo. However, a spiritual memory of what she once was manifested and comforted her son, and later took up residence in their home. The Wanderer somberly realized that Tamiyo had chosen her death, as she had halfheartedly aimed her attacks and had silently beseeched the Wanderer to look after Nashi in her stead.
With Kyodai distracted from her duties guarding the barrier between realms, oni began escaping into the mortal realm.
===After the invasion===
In the aftermath of the Invasion, the Wanderer lost her spark in the Desparkening. Now relegated to Kamigawa, the Emperor chose to travel the plane while Light-Paws continued ruling as regent in her stead.
Even the devastation wreaked by Realmbreaker hadn't been enough to dim the light of Otawara. Repairs would be ongoing for years if not decades. The ancient palace of Oboro had sustained some damage and was temporarily closed.
==Locations of Kamigawa==
*Jukai () The largest forest on Kamigawa
**The Five Trees five great trees, each with their own kodama<c>Kodama of the South Tree</c>
**Fudaiju a great tree worshipped by the BudokaThe Dragon Shield by Jay Moldenhauer-Salazar (2004), Wizards of the Coast
**Okina () a temple dedicated to the connection to nature on Kamigawa<c>Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers</c>
**Sugi Hayashi the kitsune village from which Pearl-Ear and Sharp-Ear come
*Mikokoro () a sacred island of crystal that sits amid one of Kamigawa's seas.
*Mita a village affected by kami magic<c>Three Tragedies</c>
*Sokenzan () the largest range in Kamigawa, south of Eiganjo.
**Ganzan Pass - a treacherous pass, prime spot for ambushes
**Gods' Eye () a tower where contact between the spirit and material worlds is possible.<c>Gods' Eye, Gate to the Reikai</c>
**Johyo Glacier a glacier between the Tendo Peaks and the Heart of FrostThe Sound of Crickets by Alexander O. Smith (2005), WotC
**Shinka () the lair of Hidetsugu<c>Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep</c>
**Sokenzanshi an industrious and artistic city with geothermal springs
**Tendo Peaks steep spire-like mountains in the heart of Sokenzan
***Heart of Frost a mountain in the western part of the range
***Untaidake () the tallest mountain in KamigawaMountain Secret by Jay Moldenhauer-Salazar (2004), Wizards of the Coast
*Takenuma () a large area of swampland west of Eiganjo
**Kitanosu a nezumi village with a dilapitated templeSecurity by Gwendolyn Kestrel (2004), Wizards of the Coast
**Miren () A haunted well deep within the swamp<c>Miren, the Moaning Well</c>
** Numai a loose group of half-deteriorated buildings where humans live.
** Shizo () an ancient battlefield with many corpses mummified in the mud.<c>Shizo, Death's Storehouse</c>
**Takenosu a village
**Tomb of Urami () a false monument, actually an oni trap
*Towabara Plains () Massive Plains at the center of Kamigawa.
**Hagi Village a plague-riddled village
**Kodaira a village on the plains, a day's ride from the ArabaDuty Bound by Ed Stark (2004), Wizards of the Coast
**Kofu a merchant town
**Susuki Village the home of Eight-and-a-Half-TailsEight and a Half Tales by Rei Nakazawa (2004), Wizards of the Coast
**Towashi a city that grew across the former Araba. 
***Boseiju () The oldest and tallest tree on Kamigawa<c>Boseiju, Who Endures</c>
***Eigan Town The human town built around the base of Eiganjo.
****Eiganjo () the Imperial political center and the residence of the Emperor.
***Far Corner the edge of Towashi where it juts into the Jukai forest.
*Yumegawa River () the largest and longest river on Kamigawa
**Kamitaki the largest and widest waterfall in Kamigawa and the lake below it
***Akagi River a river near the falls where a famous battle between humans and kami took place.(2004). Champions of Kamigawa Player's Guide. Wizards of the Coast.
***Minamo () an academy that teaches powerful spirit and human magics, built upon the Kamitaki Falls.
***Otawara () a Soratami city resting on clouds in the sky above Kamitaki.
****Mech Hangar () a storage bay for large mechs
****Oboro Palace () the cloud palace of the Soratami 
**Kawabe Province a land downriver from Kamitaki, where Lady Azami was from.Everything by Gwendolyn Kestrel (2004), Wizards of the Coast.
==Languages Spoken==
*Kamigawan
**It occasionally uses Japanese numerals.
**Moonfolk write using a unique calligraphy
**"Hayaku ikee" translates to "Move it"
**The phrase for "be quiet" is phrased as "utter no sound" 
*Hidetsugu's ritual language
*KitsuneRei Nakazawa, Eight and a Half Tales (archived).
*Orochi
**It includes hissing sounds.Scott McGough (2004) - Outlaw: Champions of Kamigawa, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 0-7869-3140-X.
*Nezumi-tongue Heretic: Betrayers of Kamigawa, Chapter 4
==Currency==
Like its real-world influence, Kamigawa operated on Ryō.Brady Dommermuth. (January 26, 2016.) "Ask Brady Archive", No Goblins Allowed, Wizards of the Coast. Circular copper, silver, and gold coins are used by most races on the plane, including humans, kitsune, and nezumi.Gwendolyn Kestrel, Security (archived).Gwendolyn Kestrel, Iizuka the Ruthless (archived).Alex Smith, The Meeting (archived). Copper coins with a hole cut in the center were used as offerings to kami before the Kami War, representing the circle of life.Alexander O. Smith, The Sound of Crickets (archived).
In the modern era, credit chips attached to citizens' wrists are preferred, but gamblers still carry translucent physical banknotes.
==Kamigawan Calendar==
Kamigawa uses numbered years, although they are not given a name and their start is unknown.Miyuki Jane Pinckard (2022). Selected Field Reports on Kami. Beadle & Grimm's Platinum Edition Set. As the year 1053 occurred during the Age of Enlightenment, it is possible years are marked following the Kami War. Kamigawan months are numbered, and there are at least ten of them. The eighth and ninth months have at least 29 days. Dates are recorded as a string with the two-digit month followed by a two-digit day, a period, and the year (e.g. the first day of the eighth month of 1053 was 0801.1053). Time is recorded in 24-hour notation.
A holiday called the Lantern Festival begins at 0914 and runs until 0918.
==Inhabitants==
*Humans 
*Kami 
**Dragons ( focus)
**Kirin ( focus)
**Myojin 
**Oni ()
**Phoenixes ()Forgeborn Phoenix
**Zubera 
*Kitsune 
*Moonfolk 
*Nezumi 
*Akki 
*Orochi 
*O-bakemono 
*Kappa 
*Insects 
**Domesticated semi-sapient moths 
**Nantukohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5B5eOO4Z8k 
*Plant Hydras 
==Planeswalkers==
===Native===
===Visitors===
===Non-planeswalker visitors===
*Jin-Gitaxias
==Gallery==
Kamigawa map.jpg|Map of Kamigawa by Francesca Baerald
KamigawaConcept.jpg|Kamigawan blue environment concept by Anthony Scott Waters.
KamigawaConcept2.jpg|"Battle at the Water-Stone," a Kamigawan white environment concept by Anthony Scott Waters.
KamigawaConcept3.jpg|"Oni Capital," a Kamigawan black environment concept by Anthony Scott Waters.
==Trivia==
*Kamigawa and its block were originally named "Inreikai" (), but was changed to its backup, Kamigawa, because of pronunciation difficulties.
*In an alternate reality, Kamigawa was home to a race of mountain-dwelling humanoid birds called tengu, who replaced the akki as red's primary race and featured a ninja faction called the "Order of Smoke."
*Although Kamigawa's dating system has not been fully defined, the year 1053 occurred during the Era of Enlightenment, potentially meaning years are counted from the Kami War.Miyuki Jane Pinckard (2022). Selected Field Reports on Kami. Beadle & Grimm's Platinum Edition Set.
==In-game references==
==References==
==External links==
*Planes of Existence: Kamigawa, magicthegathering.com
*(Flash) Planes of the Multiverse: Kamigawa, magicthegathering.com
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Category:Planar types