Neihon (pron. nay-hon) is not Nippon (or, as it is called in the West, Japan).

There's a lot of overlap, but the world of Neihon is more magical. The Yokai - shapeshifters and other beings that could be considered "fey" in the West - have been more open about their existence. They are well-known, as are their powers.

They are often exploited and abused - something that would have been almost unheard of in Nippon. The more powerful captive Yokai are weaponized. That would definitely have been unheard of in Nippon!

Those that are free are abandoning Neihon in search of a better world. 

Those that are not free to leave are finding themselves bound more tightly and uncomfortably than ever. 

This story takes place in the early thirteenth century, at the start of the Kamakura era. I will be following history closely, but not exactly. There will be liberties taken for the sake of the plot. In this, and with the whole concept of an "alternate-universe Nippon," I have taken my inspiration from Jessica Amanda Salmonsen, whose Tomoe Gozen I read when I was a college freshman and whose characters lived rent-free in my head for many months.

I am not writing about my own culture. I will do my best to be as respectful of Japanese mythology, culture, and history as possible, but I suspect I will make mistakes, especially in the initial draft - which will be visible to the general public for as long as it is entered in the ONC 2025 challenge. If I overstep my bounds and get something egregiously wrong, I beg forgiveness, and ask that I be corrected. The final draft of Hojo Ginko needs to get its cultural details right.