Toranaga’s up-and-coming city began as little more than a swamp, but after only a decade of development, the extraordinary potential of Edo was already visible.
Toranaga was given Edo during the struggle for control of Japan. After centuries of civil war, the Taikō emerged as the likely military leader of the country. Toranaga became his principal rival for the throne, but when he was unable to defeat the Taikō, the two warlords became allies. The Taikō needed to ensure that his new friend and former rival did not surpass him in power, so he ordered Toranaga to make a new home for himself from scratch. Toranaga was sent to the small fishing town of Edo, where he slowly began building his new stronghold.
Surrounded by wetlands, Edo is constantly growing, with smoke billowing from kilns and hammers echoing throughout the city. Farmland dots the outskirts, with vast rice patties supplying the population with food.
The merchant area of the city is also expanding rapidly. As the population has grown, business is bustling, and the small craftsman shops are overwhelmed with orders. Unlike many other cities, lodging houses welcome new travelers and prospective residents. Edo is also located strategically near waterways, ready to become a trading power, beckoning new ships every day.
Every warlord needs a castle to serve as a fortress in times of war and a political headquarters in times of peace. Not only does the castle serve as an imposing setting for meetings, but it houses Toranaga's vassals and their families. Living in the city of Edo ensures their protection and their loyalty.
Unlike the gilded halls of Azuchi or the stately grandeur of Osaka, Edo is sparse. Toranaga has not wasted time and money on ornamentation. Instead, he is focused on growth, making the castle structure large and impenetrable and pouring money into the city's infrastructure. Because of this, the castle itself is stark and almost bare. Although the halls are impressive and befitting of a warlord, the floors are still wood instead of tatami mat, and the fusuma are plain, not yet painted and decorated.
Edo Castle is where Toranaga's large family lives and where his vassals congregate. Toranaga's many consorts live in the women's quarters, the only space in the castle where moderate luxury can be found.
Although the city is full of life, its expanses host some squalor and poverty. Near the harbor, an area known as the funayado district caters to sailors' needs and has become a center of crime in the city. The funayado provides accommodation and provisions, but the ship workers suffer from poor conditions and low pay. Widespread poverty and violence overwhelm the district, and it is here where we find the discarded Erasmus sailors.
