Hisakawa Clan

The Hisakawa clan hail from Tsuchi no Kuni and while they have mostly been a civilian clan they have opened their contract with the sharks to the shinobi of Iwagakure and their employees. 
== Ideology ==
The Hisakawa have had many different ideologies over the time they have existed. But the current one seems to be the most popular. Offering a fair service at fair prices, they seek to fuel goodwill between themselves and others wherever possible. From multiple large donations to and around Iwagakure and Tsuchi no Kuni, they are quite popular among the populous.
Holding that you can catch more bees with honey over vinegar, they hold treating others fairly and respectfully as one of the height virtues to follow. This of course does not mean they are pushovers. Having gotten to their wealth through shrewd and predatory tactics, the Bankers of the Hisakawa are not above using cunning and deception to crush opponents into financial ruin, they’re just really nice about it. 
They also put the safety of client’s investments on a pedestal. As an unhappy customer is not a returning customer, the Hisakawa go through great pains to make sure that everyone who deals with them is satisfied, often reimbursing clients on losses as they have Ryo to spare.
== Clan History ==
Starting from humble beginnings in a port village located in Tsuchi no Kuni, the brother duo of Bunrakuken and Rintaro could scarcely believe the heights of which their family name would rise. Starting out as two con men in their village, long, long before even Konohagakure’s name were whispered on the lips of Daimyo of the Land of Fire. Both of the brothers had come up with a rather ingenious scheme, offering loans to many of the impoverished sailors as well as offering a sort of ‘insurance’ lest something bad happen to one of their clients. While they began as thugs, their aggressive tactics and silver tongues would soon net them a steady income. While Bunrakuken blew his earnings on whatever frivolity he could afford. Rintaro on the other hand saved nearly every penny he could, soon amassing a great fortune over his life.
While Bunrakuken died without any children, Rintaro would pass on the business that made him rich to his son. Teaching the boy the ways of financing as well as everything he himself knew. Rintaro’s son would continue after his father, and like him pass on the family business to their children. Soon the decedents of Rintaro would have a massive fortune, along with many other relics that people trapped into their debts had to give in favor of money. This line would be broken though by one woman, Hisakawa Itsuko. Having a strong sense of injustice ingrained throughout her, the woman refused to continue to have her family and the myriad of employees they had gathered over the decades act like common thugs. Pushing a great reform of how they did business, she would make sure that the once violent and unfair methods of extortion and lending were halted. Adopting a new, fairer policy, those who found themselves cursing the Hisakawa name would have their opinions slowly shifted over the years to something more positive.
Now known as the Hisakawa Banking Clan not only would the money pour into their coffers, but their name was known across the Five Elemental countries as being one of the best banks in the world. Continuing on with this positive image the clan would attempt to spread out, though this was stifled by bandit activity the Company only being able to spread within its borders. However this would all change, as the Earth Daimyo, not to be outshone by the Daimyo of Fire, Water, Or Lightning, would petition a group of Shinobi clans to form a village. Seeing the perfect relationship in the making, the Hisakawa Banking Clan offered to fund the construction of the village. With their contribution Iwagakure was finished way ahead of schedule and the Clan was given status as one of the founders of Iwagakure. Moving their headquarters to the hidden village, the Hisakawa would again try and branch out, this time with a retinue of brand new Iwagakure Shinobi defending each branch.
Given their need for Shinobi to defend their branches and offices outside of Iwagakure, and Iwagakure’s need for money, the Hisakawa would become one of the largest clients of their own village, pumping money into the burgeoning village and helping it make its name as one of the Great Five. They would continue to stay with the Village through the Three Great Shinobi Wars, keeping their economy running so that when the wars ended the village’s coffers would not be exhausted and they could bounce back quicker than their competition.
The period of peace and rebuilding that had followed the wars proved fortunate for the Hisakawa. Having reached the peak of their economic strength they would rest easy at the top. Though while they have not produced a Shinobi over the generations they have existed, the newest heir seems to have upset that balance.
== Clan Hierarchy ==
Being a rather small, if not long lived family, the Hisakawa can trace their family tree back to the time before the Shinobi villages. The clan’s business and finances are mainly run by the standing heir of the clan, who is the eldest child of the current head. This had led to Hisakawa heads never having more than one or two children at a time, making them a rather small family. Of course given that they have Shinobi Clan status, the Hisakawa, as a thanks to their many employees, registers each employ as belonging to their clan, offering those who work for them the same benefits, and even paying for their child’s Shinobi education if they so wish. 
This has led to many employees taking the Hisakawa’s name as a show of thanks to their employer, acting much like vassals and retainers. Given the current opinion of the existing Clan Heir, Hisakawa Ryuunosuke, the clan will however pass onto the employee that the current Clan Head finds most suitable for the position. 
== Clan Contract ==
=== Shark Contract ===
While the Hisakawa don’t have any special abilities or techniques, the clan being a civilian one and more concerned with keeping their business running. One thing they do possess is the Summoning contract with the Sharks of the Whale Bone Sea. Having been with the Clan since the days of Bunrakuken and Rintaro the sharks were one of the keys to their success, often using them to sink ships and not only collect the goods aboard, but the insurance money as well.
Of course with their change in business, the Sharks themselves have also changed in purpose. While once used to sink ships, they now act as an honor guard for Hisakawa’s water transports, often times dissuading would be pirates as well as being used to defend the coasts of Tsuchi no Kuni from invasion, giving Iwagakure and Tsuchi no Kuni superiority over the northern seas. Given their close relationship with Iwagakure, the Hisakawa Clan has opened up the contract to any Shinobi that the Tuschikage deems worthy enough to sign it, as well as any Shinobi relatives of their employees.
Category:Clans
Category:Tsuchi no Kuni
Category:Iwagakure Clans