Kamigawa

Kamigawa ( “river of the gods” or “spirit river”. From Japanese: kami - 神, god, spirit; gawa - 河, river) is a plane.

Kamigawa is based strongly off of Japanese culture, and was the setting for the Champions , Betrayers, and Saviors of Kamigawa expanions and their corresponding books.

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. However, when a part of the supreme kami, O-Kagachi, was stolen, the physical and spiritual worlds made war against each other. The Kakuriyo is the spirit world where the kami dwell, its other half is that of the Utsushiyo where mortals live. Together they form a sphere that makes the whole of the world.

Locations of Kamigawa

Primary locations

There are five primary geographical locations on Kamigawa, each parallel to the five basic lands of Magic. Each area is guarded by a dragon spirit loyal to the material inhabitants of its location.

• Towabara- A massive plain, the name means "eternal field". Within the Towabara is the Araba, the "ruined land", a blasted place filled with craters from kami attacks. Eiganjo Castle is in the center of the Araba. It is the fortification of daimyo Takeshi Konda. The castle is assaulted by O-Kagachi in the Kami War and badly damaged. Towabara is guarded by Yosei, the Morning Star.

• Minamo Academy- The Minamo Academy is a school that teaches powerful spirit and human magics. It is built upon the largest waterfall in Kamigawa. Minamo is led by the Soratami, who guide the headmaster and his faculty. They are often prayed to by staff of the school. Soratami are magic practicing moonfolk that live in the clouds above the academy. The school is besieged and ravaged by Hidetsugu, an ogre whose pupil was killed by a Minamo student. Minamo Academy is guarded by Keiga, the Tide Star.

• Takenuma- Takenuma is a large area of swampland. Here bandits and Nezumi (rat-folk) live. There are also a multitude of demon spirits who live in the darkest regions, leaving the place corrupted and void of sunlight. Here the most brutal battles are fought against the kami. Kokusho, the Evening Star watches over the vile swamps.

• Sokenzan Mountains- The Sokenzan mountain range is the largest in Kamigawa. Akki, cunning goblin creatures, live here, among bandits and renegade samurai called ronin. Godo, a famous warlord of the bandits, lives here. Hidetsugu, an O-Bakemono (powerful shaman ogre) summons Oni spirits here. Deep in the Sokenzan mountain range lay the Tendo Peaks, the steepest mountains in Kamigawa. The Heart of Frost, one of the Tendo Peaks, was haunted for some time by a Yuki-onna. The Sokenzan is guarded by Ryusei, the Falling Star.

• Jukai Forest- A thick forest which harbors many varying kinds of kami. Here an order of monks train to tune themselves in with nature and the spirit world. Kitsune (fox-folk), live in the Jukai along with the Orochi (snake-folk), who tend to stay in the Western fringes. No one has ever discovered what lies to the West of the Jukai Forest, and all exploration attempts have failed. Jukai Forest is watched over by Jugan, the Rising Star.

Secondary locations

• Oboro Palace- Oboro is a secret floating palace of the Soratami. It is kept secret from those who dwell on the grounds of Kamigawa. The only non-Soratami ever to set foot in Oboro were human disguise-genius Sakashima the Impostor, the ronin kanji mage Toshiro Umezawa, and the famed Akki wizard Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker.

• Shizo, Death's Storehouse- Shizo is a battlefield cursed by the death of 891 samurai in a single confrontation. It is a loathed sight to all who view it. Now, only a single spirit, Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker, stays there. He walks through the dead and prevents lower souls from leaving Kamigawa.

• Mikokoro A sacred island of crystal that sits amid one of Kamigawa's seas. Also known as the Eye of the World and the Shrine of Enlightenment.

Map of Kamigawa

Map of Kamigawa during the Kami War

External links

• Planes of Existence: Kamigawa, magicthegathering.com
• (Flash) Planes of the Multiverse: Kamigawa, magicthegathering.com
• Magic Arcana (September 14, 2004). "A Kamigawa Glossary, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Magic Arcana (January 24, 2005). "A Kamigawa Glossary, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Magic Arcana (May 31, 2005). "A Kamigawa Glossary, Part 3". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.