Katayama

**Masu**, officially the **Masu Special Administrative Region (**片山特別行政区**). Masu** is the **capital** and **most populous city** in the **republic of Ryusan**, with a population of **21,960,548** spread over an area of **4,645km²**.

## History

**Masu** is one of the **oldest major cities** in **Ryusan**, having shown signs of habitation over **5,000** **years** ago. **Masu**, like most **Ryunese** cities, was originally a **merchant village** with a **small** population, named **Muoyao**.

**Muoyao** was named one of **four capital cities** of the **Yuan dynasty**, alongside Shangdu, Khanbaliq and Zhongdu. It remained part of the **Yuan dynasty** until the **Yaojin** **uprising** and **formation** of **Ryusan**. **Muoyao** was vital to **Yuan trade** early in the dynasty, as it was the **only one of the capital cities** that had **access to water**.

**Muoyao** was renamed by then **High Emperor Meng Masu** to **Masu**, after himself. **Katayama**, under the leadership of the **Ryunese** state, thrived as an **agricultural powerhouse** and by the **late 18th century** had developed **many new landmarks** and **villages** that still stand today as **popular tourist spots**. Due to agriculturally rich cities like Masu on the **island of Yaosan**, **Ryusan** was nicknamed *"the land of the golden sun"* by the **Chinese.** Like **Japan**, **Ryusan** was in the **direction** in which the **sun rose** in **China** and unlike **Japan**, it was incredibly **wealthy** in **natural resources**.

During the **early 1900s**, Masu became the most populous city in the world with approximately 9,300,000 - similar to the modern day population of **Xiaoxian**. Masu's economy stagnated during both world wars and eventually was overtaken by New York and Tokyo, but during the 1970s began to lead the world with its manufacturing and electronics industries, alongside the other eastern powers Japan, China and South Korea.

The **Hanqing High Council** primarily focused **reinvestment** the newly created wealth into **urban transportation systems** in order to support the **growing population**. Through this proposal, **Ryusan State Rail (RSR),** a **public** **railway** company was founded (with its **main office** in **Masu)** and over a few years, had purchased **the majority** of **national railroads**, primarily those in **Hanqing,** and taken them into **state ownership**.

From **1966** to **1985**, **83%** of **Hanqing's rail lines** were **redeveloped** and **76%** were **electrified**. Since this **period of redevelopment**, Masu has developed some of the **most extensive** and **reliable** transportation systems in the world. (see **transport** for a list of modes).

**Masu** is recognized as the **sixth largest financial center** in the world, after **Amsterdam** and is a **world-leader** in **technology**, **electronic**s and **manufacturing**. The city has, in addition to the **Masunese Greenification Project** (MGP), **pledged** to protect its **heritage sites** and focus on **infrastructural management**, in order to **better protect** the region against **natural disasters** and **aging infrastructure**.

## Location

**Masu** is located **parallel** to **Shanghai** along the **Strait of Yaosan,** in **North-West Ryusan**. **Masu** is located on an **alluvial plain** by the **River Yanzu,** and was **historically** a region of **agriculture.**

**Masu** has an **average annual temperature** of **14.6°C** **(58.3°F)**. The city experiences **distinct** seasons, with **snowy** **winters** and **hot summers with heavy rainfall.** The **highest temperature ever recorded** in the **Masu** **area** was **43.3°C (109.9°F)**, and the **lowest**, **-9.5°C (14.9°F)**.

## Politics & Districts

**Katayama** is comprised of 6 **special districts**, all of which have **some form** of **self-governing power**.

## Demographics

The official **2023 census** found that the **Masu Urban Area** was home to **21.96 million** people, with **25.57 million** in its **entire metropolitan area** (which includes areas **outside** of the designated **special administrative region**). With an **average growth rate** across districts of **3.42%**, it is the **2nd fastest growing major city** in **Ryusan** after **Xiaoxan**.

**Masu**'s **median age range** is between **37** and **39** years of age. **Masu** is **ethnically homogenous**, with **96.3%** of residents being Xin Ryunese - the remaining **3.7%** are primarily **Chinese**, **Japanese**, **Korean** and **American**. The most **widely spoken languages** are **Ryunese Mandarin** (96.7%), **Japanese** (71.5%) and **Korean** (8.3%), with **public wayfinding** generally presented in **at least two** of the three.

## Economy, Education and the Workforce

**Masu** possesses the **largest urban economy** in **Ryusan**, with a **combined GDP** of **$854 billion** (approx **$38,887 per head**) across **all of its industries**.

The **primary industries** that contribute toward the economy are **manufacturing**, **retail**, **finance**, **electronics**, **technology** and **scientific research**. **Masu** has a **low level** of **unemployment** compared to the **national average** of 3.5%, and sits at just **2.7%**.

There are **72 state universities** in **Masu,** with **46%** of residents holding a **Bachelor's degree** or higher.

## Transportation

**Masu** has a **very large**, **extensive urban transit network** managed by the public **Masu Transport Corporation (MTC)**. **Modes** of public transit available in **Masu** and managed by the M**TC** are **buses**, **trams**, **water buses** and the **metro**. **Other modes** of transit that lie **outside** of the **MTC**'s control, but operate **alongside** it are **regional rail**, **local rail** and **highspeed rail services** operated by **Ryunese State Rail (RSR)**.

Katayama Transit Modes Data

### KataCard

The **KataCard** is a **prepaid urban transport card** issued by the **MTC,** as the **Ryusan** **City Transport Pass** does **not** apply to **Masu**.