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Description
The character above was created via Hero Forge found here: www.heroforge.com

The information below is a world-building exercise for me and is not part of any existing franchises or universes.
This world stems from a sort of head-canon universe centered around my own Isekai hero (not me, at all, to be clear) and will never see any sort of literature release outside of these independent bios. Again, mostly doing these as a world-building exercise and for my own personal enjoyment (yeah, I'm weird.)

Nipponatto is the stereotypical East Asian faction in the world of Isekaido, predominantly representing Japan. The name is a sort of portmanteau of the Japanese name for Japan, Nippon, and fermented soy beans, called Natto, a traditional Japanese food. It is intended to be a deliberate but also respectful yet bastardized version of Japanese culture. The idea behind it is that it has been shaped by actual transplanted citizens from Japan who got transported in various ways throughout history and as a result, helped to shape Nipponatto into something familiar to what they left behind.

Edit - 10-31-2023: Made some minor corrections and added James's Notes.

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The Nipponatto Empire
Formal Name: The Nipponatto Empire
Informal Names: Nipponatto
Head of State: His Imperial Majesty, Chi Ha Kyoshi, God-Emperor of Nipponatto
Government: Hereditary Monarchy with mixed hereditary and democratically elected bicameral legislature
Date Established: 10,124 - Empire Standard Calendar, Year 0 of the Daiichiteikoku Era - Nipponatto Standard Calendar, 300~100 P.F. - New Age Calendar,
Head of Government: The Emperor/Empress of Nipponatto
Commander & Chief: The Seii Taishōgun
Executive Branch: The Shogunate
Legislative Branch: The Imperial Diet
Judicial Branch: The Imperial Courts
Capitol: Tokedo
Primary Language: Nipponese
Estimated Population: 10~20 Million

History as of 1225 Erodian Standard Calendar
The Island Empire of Nipponatto is one of, if not THE oldest nation in the known world. It was founded in the year 10,124 of the First Empire, somewhere between 300 and 100 years prior to The Fall. The reason for the lack of agreement regarding the exact time of the empire's founding is due to the fact that the Fall had begun and few historical documents from before the Fall were preserved. As a result it is difficult to pinpoint the year of Nipponatto's founding using the New Age Calendar but it is confirmed that Nipponatto is the oldest nation in the known world.

The Nipponatto Standard Calendar uses a method of assigning eras similar to but not exactly like real-world Japan, assigning each "era" in their history a name. The Nipponatto version of this is a somewhat bastardized version of Japan's own, potentially implicating a possible Earth-Born from Japan being responsible for at least influencing the calendar if not more. The duration of the eras vary, with only two eras being considered "indeterminate" in length. The current era, the Hyakka Era, which is still ongoing with no predetermined end and is determined either by the sitting Emperor or the incumbent Emperor's decision upon their coronation. The other is the Daiichiteikoku Era, which spans the unknown and nebulous time prior to year 1 of the New Age Calendar when the Fall of the First Empire took place. Because they cannot pinpoint that precise date, the year Nipponatto was founded is listed as year zero of the Daiichiteikoku Era, with the Mo no Tanjo Era beginning in year one of the New Age Calendar. The longest Era in the Nipponatto Calendar is the Chūibukai Heiwa Era which took place between 1709 NAC and 1886 NAC, and is viewed as an interwar period between the War of Kingdoms (1659-1709) which Nipponatto did not participate in, and the Melromarc-Nipponatto War, also known as the War of the Waves (1886-1901 NAC). The shortest era was the Kyojin Era, lasting less than one year (lasting a total of eight months) in 443 NAC. Each Era is defined largely by major shifts in politics, military, culture, art, economy and more.

The Daiichieteikoku Era, the First Empire Era, is when Nipponatto was first settled during the reign of the First Empire, the island nation being founded as a colony of the Empire. At the time it was ruled by a Viceroy and was a vassal state of the First Empire. But as The Fall began, refugees came pouring into Nipponatto from across the sea, until eventually all contact with the Empire ceased, ending the Daiichiteikoku Era and beginning the Mo no Tanjo Era, or Mourning Birth Era. The Mo no Tanjo Era was filled with strife, with different refugee groups settling in different regions of the island nation. Famine, disease, and pockets of civil conflict were common throughout the era. The era lasted for roughly two centuries (exact length indeterminate) until the arrival of the Sumūsusutōn Era, or the Smooth Stone Era where the conflicts simmered down and the different "prefectures" of Nipponatto solidified. This was marked mostly by peaceful trade although there was no unified government, each prefecture was in essence, their own nations. However these nations were unable to survive on their own for long and the era lasted for two decades before beginning the Moeru Ya Era, the Burning Arrows Era.

The Burning Arrows Era was a smaller and more isolated version of the War of Kingdoms that would take place centuries later, with different prefectures attempting to annex and forcibly unite the others under their banner. What followed for the next five-hundred years were eras of back-and-forth feudal wars with periods of brief and often bloody conflicts followed by periods of relative peace. Ten different eras took place in this time, including the shortest era, the Tanjo Era, the Titan Era. That era focused on the siege of the fortress city of Tanjo, a rare unifying moment for all of Nipponatto when a despotic Daimyo of the Tanjo Prefecture, abducted the daughters and wives of the other Daimyo and attempted to extort the other prefectures into bowing to him. What instead happened was all of the prefectures united to bring down the despot. The siege of Tanjo was ended, in an ironic parallel of the Trojan Horse from Greek Mythology, with a great tribute made to the Daimyo, a giant wooden fish, inside of which were nearly a hundred assorted troops. Just like with the Trojan Horse, the Tanjo Fish ended the same way, with the city being breached from the inside. The prefectural map of Nipponatto was in a constant state of flux during this period and it is estimated that twelve prefectures were completely wiped off the map and absorbed into the current prefectures, some of which cannot be retraced due to the burnings of old maps by some of the Daimyo of those eras so as to confound attempts to recreate the other prefectures should they breakaway again.

It would not be until around 1032 NAC that the Nipponatto Empire would be formally established, starting the Kingin Era, or the Gold and Silver Era. Coincidentally, Nipponatto's Empire shares this year with the Kingdom of Erodas which was similarly established in the same year. The foundations of the Empire had been established nearly ninety years prior, in the Kin Era, the Golden Era, when a fearless woman Daimyo named Nattosha rose to prominence with both cunning and wisdom. Nattosha was the Daimyo of the Tokedo Prefecture and was known as "the Bloodless Empress" for her skill in having managed to negotiate her way out of war. Over the course of her lifetime, even before becoming Daimyo, she managed to establish a series of alliances with the rest of the prefectures. By the time she passed away at the end of the Kin Era, she had established an Empire in all but name as she had acquired the loyalty of the other Daimyo. The Kingin Era marked the official establishment of the Empire, with Nattosha's grandson, the technical First Emperor, being crowned at the beginning of the era. However he would declare himself the third Emperor, posthumously naming his grandmother and father as the First and Second Emperors respectively.

The Kingin Era was marked by a period of integration and unification, gradually breaking down the old prefectural barriers and unifying the empire under one banner. The Prefectures would still remain but the Daimyo would gradually join together to form a bicameral legislature, referred to as the Kokkai, or the Dieta, coincidentally the same as their real-world Japanese counterpart. The Eras that spanned the next six hundred years were some of the most peaceful in Nipponatto's history, with only small uprisings and rebellions taking place during these eras. It was during this era that Nipponatto became a recognized nation by the other nations in the world and trade began with all they could reach by ship. When the War of Kingdoms began, this marked the Mamora Reta Era, or the Guarded Era, where Nipponatto kept a vigilant eye on their shores for any sign that the other Kingdoms were trying to invade. Fortunately, Nipponatto's command of the world's strongest navy of that time dissuaded other nations like the Luminora Kingdom from attempting to conquer them. Nipponatto cautiously welcomed refugees from other nations during this period, particularly bringing in a large number of demi-human refugees.

After the War of Kingdoms ended, the Chūibukai Heiwa Era, or the Watchful Peace Era, was marked by resumed and more relaxed trade. Nipponatto encouraged many of the refugees they had taken in to return to the nations they had fled from, with anywhere between half to two-thirds of the refugees returning to their home countries with the war's end. The rest, most of them demi-humans, remained in Nipponatto, swearing loyalty to the Empire and forsaking their former homelands. The Era lasted for one-hundred seventy-seven years, the longest confirmed on record. The Era ended with the start of the Sensho no Kemono Era, or the Beast War Era.

In 1886, the Kingdom of Melromarc, one of the two closest nations to Nipponatto geographically, declared war on Nipponatto after they refused to extradite a Demi-Human citizen of Nipponatto accused of attempting to assault the Queen of Melromarc. The consensus among the Imperial government was that this demand for extradition was little more than an excuse for an invasion as the evidence was in the accused's favor. Melromarc had long harbored anti-Demi sentiments and Nipponatto's Emperor and the Kokkai both, Correctly, deduced the real goal of Melromarc was genocide and/or enslavement of the Demi-humans. Nipponatto was forced to defend themselves. The Melromarc-Nipponatto War became referred to as the War of the Waves as Nipponatto used its greatest asset against Melromarc: Their command of the sea, fielding a massive fleet that blockaded all of Melromarc's seaports and coastal villages, even forbidding off-shore fishing. As a result, Melromarc was unable to set one foot on Nipponatto's shores or even get a ship within fifty nautical miles of Nipponatto's shores. Melromarc attempted to turn the tide early on by summoning the Four Legendary Heroes, four individuals summoned from another world, gifted with great power to wield the Sword, Spear, Bow, and Shield respectively. However the Sword and Bow heroes got killed during the war, and the Shield Hero, much to the chagrin and animosity of Melromarc, defected to Nipponatto, actively helping the Empire defeat Melromarc. The crushing blow to Melromarc came at the Sacking of Lola, Melromarc's largest port where most of their fleets were anchored. The attack on Lola resulted in every Melromarc ship, from fishing boat to warship, being torched and sunk, with most of the city suffering serious damage. With no navy remaining, Melromarc agreed to negotiate their terms of surrender. They attempted to negotiate the extradition of the Shield Hero back to Melromarc, but the Shield Hero had become a hero to the Nipponatto and the Emperor flatly refused.

The Sensho no Kemono Era ended in 1901 NAC, followed by the Te o Kunda Era, or the Joined Hands Era, where Nipponatto withdrew their fleets from Melromarc's shores and brought gifts of timber and iron to rebuild the cities and some of the non-naval ships they had destroyed, allowing Melromarc to resume trading by sea. Nipponatto also used some of the reparations from Melromarc to repair and restore their fleets. This era lasted five years and was followed by the Tate Era, or Shield Era, honoring the Shield Hero who married into the Imperial Family, marrying the Emperor's daughter and becoming the Emperess's consort upon his wife's ascension to the throne. The Tate Era lasted until the Shield Hero's passing forty years after the war, with the ascension of his son as Emperor. The era that followed was the Hagane Era, or Steel Era, as Nipponatto launched the world's first steel-hulled ships, although they were basically ironclads using steel instead of iron, and still relying on wind and sail power. The Hagane Era lasted for one-hundred years exactly, followed by the Sakura Era, or the Cherry Tree Era, symbolizing a rebirth as Nipponatto began a focus on restoring much of their ancestral heritage, rebuilding and restoring ancient castles and temples that had been destroyed during the various wars and conflicts. After that period began the Kagayaite Era or Shining Era where they worked with the Luminous Theocracy to establish an extension to the Wall of Colors that helped to protect the rest of the continent from the monsters and Daemons of the Ruined North. The extension ultimately didn't work out but it still was a major project of the era.

Finally, in 2221 NAC, the Hyakka Era, or Hundred Flowers Era, began, and has continued unto the present day. It has been marked by a subtle beefing up of their military, partly in response to the establishment of the Sorcerer Kingdom under Ainz Ooal Gown and the births of Demon Lords in the Demon Slime Rimuru Tempest in the Jura Tempest Federation and James Miles in Erodas.

Geography
Nipponatto is mostly one large island with several small cays dotting is perimeter. The mainland is a mountainous region, with the largest mountain, known as the Ten'nō no tōdai or Beacon of the Emperor. It's commonly known as Mount Hōka, or Mount Beacon as a modern nickname for it. It is a volcano that has not erupted in at least three thousand years. Popular legend, dating back to the days of the First Empire, suggests that the Emperor of the First Empire spotted the glow of the volcano's eruption from his palace and ordered the island colonized, believing the volcano's eruption a sign from on high. Thus the volcano became known as the Beacon of the Emperor. This has, as a result, produced very fertile lands for Nipponatto's inhabitants. The mountain is considered a holy site of Nattoism, the native religion of the Nipponatto, and it is custom to pray facing the mountain. The rest of Nipponatto is fertile farmland and rice fields with several prominent cities.

There are thirteen prefectures in Nipponatto,
Edokyo - Capitol of Nipponatto
Sushia
Nattogumi
Edamemi
Surimako
Wasabi
Katsudonai
Toyaki
Toyotaka
Mitsubashi
Fujishi
Sagasaga
Hoka

Government
Nipponatto is an Empire, ruled by a hereditary Emperor or Empress, with direct successors inheriting the throne. In more ancient times, before the establishment of the Empire, the Prefectures were all independently ruled by powerful lords known as the Daimyo. Unlike the traditional Daimyo of Japanese history though, the Shoguns served the Daimyo, acting as their Generals. When the Empire rose to power, the Shoguns pledged their loyalty to the Emperor, while the Daimyo remained lords of their prefectures. Eventually, this evolved into Nipponatto's legislative branch, the Kokkai, or known as the Dieta, to outsiders.

The Kokkai is divided into two houses. The lower house members are known as the Shugo-Daimyo, and are elected by popular vote among the citizens of each prefecture. It should be noted that the Shugo-Daimyo are named, not for the Shugo Era like in Japan, but after Hitoku Shugo, a celebrated Samurai Warrior and statesmen who was the first elected official within Nipponatto. The term Shugo-Daimyo became a colloquialism for the position before ultimately being made official. The upper chamber are made up of the traditional Daimyo lords that preside over Nipponatto's prefectures, the members referred to as the Sengoku-Daimyo, again, not named for the Japanese Era. The Sengoku-Daimyo is more akin to a senate made up of lifetime hereditary appointments, and with only thirteen members, one for each Prefecture. The Sengoku-Daimyo in Nipponatto are named after Taito Sengoku, a Daimyo who was known for having held major debates with the Emperor early on into the Empire, threatening a rebellion if the Daimyo weren't granted some kind of position of authority within the Empire. The Emperor ultimately caved, creating the Kokkai for Sengoku but added the lower chamber to the legislature for the elected officials as counterbalance to the Daimyo. Sengoku was annoyed but the other Daimyo shouted him down. The term Sengoku-Daimyo ultimately stuck as despite Sengoku's rabblerousing, he still proved his loyalty to the empire and is credited with having helped to create much of Nipponatto's constitution.

The Emperor has full autonomy and authority, so the Kokkai is more of an advisory position. However the Kokkai can overrule the Emperor provided all thirteen of the Sengoku-Daimyo and all thirteen of the Shugo-Daimyo cast a unanimous veto vote to override the Emperor's orders. However this has never been done. It has been attempted twice but failed both times, the first time by one vote in the Shugo-Daimyo and the second by sweeping majorities in both chambers.

Prostitution is limited to the upper classes, with concubines often being employed by the Daimyo and the Emperor. Each Prefecture elects to send at least one woman to the Emperor as a concubine, hoping that the next Emperor or Empress will be of their respective prefecture. Nobles and court officials often have courtesans known as an oiran, in their employ typically on more permanent basis until a marriage is arranged. Even then, oirans can follow a noble even in marriage as a form of polygamy. Polygamy is not explicitly illegal but is typically something done among the upper-classes. There is some overlap between oirans and geishas as oirans typically get much of the same training as geishas but with more emphasis on sexuality. Additionally, some oirans and geishas alike, have received training as Kunoichi, female bodyguards and assassins, with their roles as Oirans and Geishas being, usually, merely a cover for their role as a bodyguard.

Nipponatto most strongly differs from Feudal Japan in having equal rights between men and women. Ever since the island nation was first settled, female Daimyos have existed as well as female leaders even though men have made up the majority of leaders throughout the years.

Slavery is fully illegal, to the point that people attempting to enter Nipponatto bringing slaves with them are barred entry unless they are willing to free the slaves in their custody on the spot, the slaves being protected by Nipponatto and granted asylum if they desire it. Part of this stems from a large demi-human population, many of whom have fled to Nipponatto to escape slavery and persecution.

Military
The Nipponatto Empire's military, mostly resembles the feudal armies of Feudal Japan although the hierarchies are different. The Shogunate are the Generals and Admirals of the Empire, with many Shoguns inheriting their titles from their fathers and mothers if they are a direct descendent or passing the title on to a trusted subordinate they believe is worthy of the title. There are thirteen shoguns at any given time, one for each prefecture. The Shogunate often work with their respective Daimyo to handle the security and protection of the people within the prefecture while the Daimyo handles the social, political, and economic matters. In times of war, the Shogunate oversee the Empire's defense, answering to the Emperor directly during wartime. During wartime, the Emperor will often select one of the Shoguns to be named the Seii-Taishogun, to be the Emperor's chief advisor and second-in-command of the entire Nipponatto Military.

Nipponatto's army forces are very similar to the feudal Japanese army forces only more unified and more focused towards external threats instead of fighting each other. Their forces consist of swordsmen, spearmen, archers, etc. Their archers are often considered among the best in the world, due largely because the majority of their archers serve aboard their ships, honing their skills greatly. Because Nipponatto is an island, it is largely isolated from groups of migrating monsters unless they are amphibious in nature, making Nipponatto relatively safe, leaving the Army to largely patrol and safeguard against bandits.

The elite of the Nipponatto military are the Samurai and the Shinobi. While in the real world, the Samurai looked down on the Shinobi, in Nipponatto, they view each others as equals if not professional rivals. The Samurai of Nipponatto are viewed as the Emperor's elite guard and soldiers, wielding not only a katana or their weapon of choice, but also capable of using magic and sorcery in defense of the Empire. Foreign equivalents would be the Paladins of the Luminous Theocracy and the Holy Knights of Erodas. The key difference is a more uniform look and aesthetic to their armor and equipment. Shinobi are the state employed ninjas and kunoichi and are deployed in secret as spies and assassins. Ninjas and Kunoichi are generally retainers, mercenaries, or otherwise unaffiliated. Nipponatto's Shinobi are some of the deadliest assassins and most effective spies in the world. Their numbers though are often very small.

Nipponatto's greatest strength though is its command of the Navy. Nipponatto commands the largest navy in the world and has some of the most advanced ships in the world, only recently being surpassed technologically by the Kingdom of Erodas's pre-Dreadnought Battleship. Nipponatto's navy are the first in the world to use screw propellers, however the power source for these propellers are human dynamos working to turn the screws. However these screws are only engaged for pursuits or naval engagements, with wind and sail being the main source of propulsion. Nipponatto warships are often wind propelled ironclad warships with teams of archers manning the top decks. Instead of cannons (as only Erodas has unlocked the secret of gunpowder so far), they use large ballistae to fire out of gunports on the broadsides of their ships, using large stone or iron arrow headed bolts similar to crossbow bolts as a makeshift cannon. Nipponatto Naval Mages often are employed to lob fireballs at enemy warships as well. Some of Nipponatto's larger warships are even double-hulled warships.

The pride of Nipponatto's navy is the triple-hulled warship, the Teikoku no Tate, the Shield of the Empire.

It is rumored that Nipponatto has also invented the world's first submarine, inventing a watertight metal craft capable of submerging beneath the surface to act as a scout craft or stealth transport of sorts, but so far this has not been confirmed.

The most persistent threats to Nipponatto are pirates and the odd sea monster. They keep a vigilant watch on their northern shores as the Ruined North lies just beyond their northern sea, and one never knows when a daemon from the North might attempt to cross over. Because of their strong naval traditions, the war banner of Nipponatto is often a red banner with a white anchor. The flag of Nipponatto is the inverse, a white flag with a red anchor in the center and red rays of sunlight shining outward from it, similar to the flag of the Japanese Empire except with an anchor instead of a sun in the center.

Culture, Religion, & Language
Nipponatto's culture if strongly reminiscent of Feudal Japan's own, only without the feudalist elements to it. There is a caste system much like during Japan's Edo period but it's much simpler in form, with the Emperor holding more power and authority, the Daimyo and Shogunate being on equal levels below the Emperor, the Samurai and Shinobi below them followed by the peasantry, with craftsman and merchants being on equal footing with peasantry. The caste system of Nipponatto is more of a social construct though as few laws exist that puts any sort of special weight in favor or against the social classes.

Because a fair portion of Nipponatto's population are demi-humans, there is considerably less prejudice against them from the native human populations, with at least two of the present Daimyo being demi-humans or of demi-human descent. The embrace of the defector Shield Hero from Melromarc has made the Shield Hero a local icon due in no small part to his championing the demi-humans and his own actions in the War of the Waves as well as having eventually married into the Imperial Family. Because of the Shield Hero's actions, his birthday is celebrated as a three day festival to remember the war and those who fell as well as to honor the heroes of the war. The current Shield Hero, Naofumi Iwatani, has not yet visited Nipponatto, partly due to his present criminal status within Melromarc which legally precludes him from leaving the country, however he has been sighted outside of Melromarc and could still reach Nipponatto via Belzerg or Luminous. The Emperor himself has promised asylum status to the Shield Hero should he ever make it to the country.

Interestingly, there is a decent population of Dwarves within Nipponatto. They are largely settled within Mount Hoka itself, being referred to as the Hoka Dwarves. They are known for using the molten lava within the volcano to for their own ore production. The Hoka Dwarves have somewhat embraced Nipponatto culture and are considered subjects of the Empire. Interestingly, the Hoka Dwarves accidentally introduced Nipponatto to another Japanese cultural staple: Sumo, which has rapidly evolved into becoming the national sport of Nipponatto since its introduction.

Aside from their navy, Nipponatto is known for their unique foods, most of them being the bounties of the sea such as fish and squid. Many dishes made from fish, squid, and seaweed are prominent in Nipponatto culture. The fermented soy beans called Natto are also a prominent meal. Rice is a major export of Nipponatto, as there are many rice fields in Nipponatto where rice is grown. There are many other cultural dishes that have been somehow imported from real-world Japan's that have made it to Nipponatto.

An interesting cultural phenomenon exists within Nipponatto, with the formation of Geisha-esque singing and dance groups, referred to as Nippon Idols, often cultivating fan bases who clamor to attend their performances. The groups are known for wearing colorful attire and singing unique and original music with synchronized dancing, attracting children and adults alike. The Empire has been looking to use these groups as cultural ambassadors for Nipponatto, granting them Shinobi and Samurai escorts.

Most Nipponese are followers of Nattoism, named after Nattosha the First Empress, which has several similarities to real-world Shintoism but also maintains a pantheon for their Emperors and great heroes and figures within Nipponatto. The Emperor is considered the head of the Nattoist faith and has the sole power to canonize people and individuals into the pantheon. It is custom that the sitting emperor at the time of death of a previous emperor, canonize their predecessor. Although the Emperor is considered a god-emperor, they are not directly worshipped, instead being viewed as the religion's chief of state similar to a pope, only achieving true godhood upon being posthumously canonized. The Shield Hero that defected to Nipponatto during the War of the Waves was canonized for his heroism and deeds after he passed away. Nattoism does have several key tenets which preaches a strong sense of self-determination on a national scale, respecting the ideologies and traditions of other cultures. It basically boils down to a form of isolationism in that designs on imperialistic conquest are frowned upon and only wars of self-defense are ever to be waged. This has led to Nipponatto being a strong neutral party to most nations.

The Luminous Theocracy's Church of the Holy Light and the more ancient Wold Religion does have a presence in Nipponatto but it is significantly smaller on average.

In terms of language, Nipponatto's primary language, Nipponese, is yet another reference to real-world Japan. Nipponese is nearly indistinguishable from Japanese. There is, however, a few words and phrases of real-world Korean origin that are common in the vernacular. Otherwise the language is the same, complete with some of the same dialects of the modern day.

Diplomacy
Nipponatto enjoys strong relationships with most nations, particularly coastal nations as they are more readily capable of trading by sea. As such they enjoy good relationships with the Luminous Theocracy, Belzerg, Crimonia, Erodas, and Lugnica. The only coastal nations they don't have as good a relationship with are Arcanis and the Sederan Empire. In Arcanis's case, their relationship is still good but trade with them is mostly blocked due to the presence of the Sederan Empire on the eastern most coast, blocking passage around to Arcanis by ship. The Sederans are hostile to all nations including Nipponatto due to a strong imperialistic tendency and have often raided Nipponatto ships when they attempt to pass through which has crippled if not blocked all sea trade with Arcanis. Despite the blocked sea routes, Nipponatto and Arcanis still are on good terms.

Their relationships with the landlocked nations of Primassa and Bleumarch are good as well, but trade with them is very difficult. They were also on good terms with Illicia prior to its annexation by Erodas in 1218 ESC. More recently, they have been working to establish trade with the monster nation of the Jura Tempest Federation but as Tempest does not have any seaports yet, any trade with them will have to be done vicariously through Erodas who has the nearest and largest port to Tempest.

Aside from the Sederan Empire, Melromarc is the only nation that Nipponatto does not have good relations with. There is still a lingering mistrust of Melromarc due to the War of the Waves, and many within Melromarc still views Nipponatto as the enemy. The Shield Hero is similarly demonized because of his betrayal during the war, even though the present Shield Hero had nothing to do with it. The more recent Queens of Melromarc have been trying to improve relations but more recently the current queen, Queen Mirellia Q. Melromarc, has suffered a setback due to her husband's having summoned the Four Legendary Heroes without her permission, sparking a political incident. Another factor for ongoing tensions with Melromarc is due to the prejudices of the demi-humans within Nipponatto, as many of them escaped or are descended from those who escaped Melromarc due to Melromarc's human supremacist stances. Nipponatto has enacted an asylum policy and has worked with several figures within Melromarc to form an underground network to help demi-human slaves and their sympathizers escape Melromarc to Nipponatto. Officially, Nipponatto is not interfering in these matters but there is definite unofficial support for the operation.

Finally, the Sorcerer Kingdom is a matter of concern, as it is for all nations. Nipponatto is less concerned about it though due to the fact that the Sorcerer Kingdom is landlocked between Erodas, Belzerg, and Primassa and has no access to the sea which means they cannot presently be reached.

James's Notes: "Nipponatto is one country I never got to visit prior to being named a Holy Knight or becoming a Demon Lord. But I have gotten to meet several traders from there. They trade in a number of traditional Japanese goods, namely rice, soy sauce, natto, etc. My first visit came during the King's international tour aboard Erodas's first ocean liner. The Emperor and the King seemed to get along well. It's kinda fascinating how Nipponatto is a blend of modern and feudal Japan. The feudal era culture and technology mixed with the sense of unity of the modern Japan. As an unapologetic otaku from my world, visiting Nipponatto was like getting to go to Japan so I was excited by this visit. It didn't disappoint as the Emperor treated us to a private performance by a kabuki theater troupe. My encounters with the Nipponese have been cordial and friendly and they seem to be happy with Erodas's good fortune, but also visibly jealous of our technological advancements in the naval department. They don't realize just how close they are to getting their own. I'm hoping that my lectures in Arcanis on the development of the Steam Engine has passed along to Nipponatto. I'd love for them to enter an age of steam.

Oh and that bit where they might be working on a submarine? Yeah~h they are. My Demon Lord instincts kinda tingled in the waters near the shore and sure enough I saw this crude submersible craft near the shore. It looks like they're still working on the basics but bully for them. I wonder if I can't improve on the design."

Description
The character above was created via Hero Forge found here: www.heroforge.com

The information below is a world-building exercise for me and is not part of any existing franchises or universes.
This world stems from a sort of head-canon universe centered around my own Isekai hero (not me, at all, to be clear) and will never see any sort of literature release outside of these independent bios. Again, mostly doing these as a world-building exercise and for my own personal enjoyment (yeah, I'm weird.)

Nipponatto is the stereotypical East Asian faction in the world of Isekaido, predominantly representing Japan. The name is a sort of portmanteau of the Japanese name for Japan, Nippon, and fermented soy beans, called Natto, a traditional Japanese food. It is intended to be a deliberate but also respectful yet bastardized version of Japanese culture. The idea behind it is that it has been shaped by actual transplanted citizens from Japan who got transported in various ways throughout history and as a result, helped to shape Nipponatto into something familiar to what they left behind.

Edit - 10-31-2023: Made some minor corrections and added James's Notes.

...

The Nipponatto Empire
Formal Name: The Nipponatto Empire
Informal Names: Nipponatto
Head of State: His Imperial Majesty, Chi Ha Kyoshi, God-Emperor of Nipponatto
Government: Hereditary Monarchy with mixed hereditary and democratically elected bicameral legislature
Date Established: 10,124 - Empire Standard Calendar, Year 0 of the Daiichiteikoku Era - Nipponatto Standard Calendar, 300~100 P.F. - New Age Calendar,
Head of Government: The Emperor/Empress of Nipponatto
Commander & Chief: The Seii Taishōgun
Executive Branch: The Shogunate
Legislative Branch: The Imperial Diet
Judicial Branch: The Imperial Courts
Capitol: Tokedo
Primary Language: Nipponese
Estimated Population: 10~20 Million

History as of 1225 Erodian Standard Calendar
The Island Empire of Nipponatto is one of, if not THE oldest nation in the known world. It was founded in the year 10,124 of the First Empire, somewhere between 300 and 100 years prior to The Fall. The reason for the lack of agreement regarding the exact time of the empire's founding is due to the fact that the Fall had begun and few historical documents from before the Fall were preserved. As a result it is difficult to pinpoint the year of Nipponatto's founding using the New Age Calendar but it is confirmed that Nipponatto is the oldest nation in the known world.

The Nipponatto Standard Calendar uses a method of assigning eras similar to but not exactly like real-world Japan, assigning each "era" in their history a name. The Nipponatto version of this is a somewhat bastardized version of Japan's own, potentially implicating a possible Earth-Born from Japan being responsible for at least influencing the calendar if not more. The duration of the eras vary, with only two eras being considered "indeterminate" in length. The current era, the Hyakka Era, which is still ongoing with no predetermined end and is determined either by the sitting Emperor or the incumbent Emperor's decision upon their coronation. The other is the Daiichiteikoku Era, which spans the unknown and nebulous time prior to year 1 of the New Age Calendar when the Fall of the First Empire took place. Because they cannot pinpoint that precise date, the year Nipponatto was founded is listed as year zero of the Daiichiteikoku Era, with the Mo no Tanjo Era beginning in year one of the New Age Calendar. The longest Era in the Nipponatto Calendar is the Chūibukai Heiwa Era which took place between 1709 NAC and 1886 NAC, and is viewed as an interwar period between the War of Kingdoms (1659-1709) which Nipponatto did not participate in, and the Melromarc-Nipponatto War, also known as the War of the Waves (1886-1901 NAC). The shortest era was the Kyojin Era, lasting less than one year (lasting a total of eight months) in 443 NAC. Each Era is defined largely by major shifts in politics, military, culture, art, economy and more.

The Daiichieteikoku Era, the First Empire Era, is when Nipponatto was first settled during the reign of the First Empire, the island nation being founded as a colony of the Empire. At the time it was ruled by a Viceroy and was a vassal state of the First Empire. But as The Fall began, refugees came pouring into Nipponatto from across the sea, until eventually all contact with the Empire ceased, ending the Daiichiteikoku Era and beginning the Mo no Tanjo Era, or Mourning Birth Era. The Mo no Tanjo Era was filled with strife, with different refugee groups settling in different regions of the island nation. Famine, disease, and pockets of civil conflict were common throughout the era. The era lasted for roughly two centuries (exact length indeterminate) until the arrival of the Sumūsusutōn Era, or the Smooth Stone Era where the conflicts simmered down and the different "prefectures" of Nipponatto solidified. This was marked mostly by peaceful trade although there was no unified government, each prefecture was in essence, their own nations. However these nations were unable to survive on their own for long and the era lasted for two decades before beginning the Moeru Ya Era, the Burning Arrows Era.

The Burning Arrows Era was a smaller and more isolated version of the War of Kingdoms that would take place centuries later, with different prefectures attempting to annex and forcibly unite the others under their banner. What followed for the next five-hundred years were eras of back-and-forth feudal wars with periods of brief and often bloody conflicts followed by periods of relative peace. Ten different eras took place in this time, including the shortest era, the Tanjo Era, the Titan Era. That era focused on the siege of the fortress city of Tanjo, a rare unifying moment for all of Nipponatto when a despotic Daimyo of the Tanjo Prefecture, abducted the daughters and wives of the other Daimyo and attempted to extort the other prefectures into bowing to him. What instead happened was all of the prefectures united to bring down the despot. The siege of Tanjo was ended, in an ironic parallel of the Trojan Horse from Greek Mythology, with a great tribute made to the Daimyo, a giant wooden fish, inside of which were nearly a hundred assorted troops. Just like with the Trojan Horse, the Tanjo Fish ended the same way, with the city being breached from the inside. The prefectural map of Nipponatto was in a constant state of flux during this period and it is estimated that twelve prefectures were completely wiped off the map and absorbed into the current prefectures, some of which cannot be retraced due to the burnings of old maps by some of the Daimyo of those eras so as to confound attempts to recreate the other prefectures should they breakaway again.

It would not be until around 1032 NAC that the Nipponatto Empire would be formally established, starting the Kingin Era, or the Gold and Silver Era. Coincidentally, Nipponatto's Empire shares this year with the Kingdom of Erodas which was similarly established in the same year. The foundations of the Empire had been established nearly ninety years prior, in the Kin Era, the Golden Era, when a fearless woman Daimyo named Nattosha rose to prominence with both cunning and wisdom. Nattosha was the Daimyo of the Tokedo Prefecture and was known as "the Bloodless Empress" for her skill in having managed to negotiate her way out of war. Over the course of her lifetime, even before becoming Daimyo, she managed to establish a series of alliances with the rest of the prefectures. By the time she passed away at the end of the Kin Era, she had established an Empire in all but name as she had acquired the loyalty of the other Daimyo. The Kingin Era marked the official establishment of the Empire, with Nattosha's grandson, the technical First Emperor, being crowned at the beginning of the era. However he would declare himself the third Emperor, posthumously naming his grandmother and father as the First and Second Emperors respectively.

The Kingin Era was marked by a period of integration and unification, gradually breaking down the old prefectural barriers and unifying the empire under one banner. The Prefectures would still remain but the Daimyo would gradually join together to form a bicameral legislature, referred to as the Kokkai, or the Dieta, coincidentally the same as their real-world Japanese counterpart. The Eras that spanned the next six hundred years were some of the most peaceful in Nipponatto's history, with only small uprisings and rebellions taking place during these eras. It was during this era that Nipponatto became a recognized nation by the other nations in the world and trade began with all they could reach by ship. When the War of Kingdoms began, this marked the Mamora Reta Era, or the Guarded Era, where Nipponatto kept a vigilant eye on their shores for any sign that the other Kingdoms were trying to invade. Fortunately, Nipponatto's command of the world's strongest navy of that time dissuaded other nations like the Luminora Kingdom from attempting to conquer them. Nipponatto cautiously welcomed refugees from other nations during this period, particularly bringing in a large number of demi-human refugees.

After the War of Kingdoms ended, the Chūibukai Heiwa Era, or the Watchful Peace Era, was marked by resumed and more relaxed trade. Nipponatto encouraged many of the refugees they had taken in to return to the nations they had fled from, with anywhere between half to two-thirds of the refugees returning to their home countries with the war's end. The rest, most of them demi-humans, remained in Nipponatto, swearing loyalty to the Empire and forsaking their former homelands. The Era lasted for one-hundred seventy-seven years, the longest confirmed on record. The Era ended with the start of the Sensho no Kemono Era, or the Beast War Era.

In 1886, the Kingdom of Melromarc, one of the two closest nations to Nipponatto geographically, declared war on Nipponatto after they refused to extradite a Demi-Human citizen of Nipponatto accused of attempting to assault the Queen of Melromarc. The consensus among the Imperial government was that this demand for extradition was little more than an excuse for an invasion as the evidence was in the accused's favor. Melromarc had long harbored anti-Demi sentiments and Nipponatto's Emperor and the Kokkai both, Correctly, deduced the real goal of Melromarc was genocide and/or enslavement of the Demi-humans. Nipponatto was forced to defend themselves. The Melromarc-Nipponatto War became referred to as the War of the Waves as Nipponatto used its greatest asset against Melromarc: Their command of the sea, fielding a massive fleet that blockaded all of Melromarc's seaports and coastal villages, even forbidding off-shore fishing. As a result, Melromarc was unable to set one foot on Nipponatto's shores or even get a ship within fifty nautical miles of Nipponatto's shores. Melromarc attempted to turn the tide early on by summoning the Four Legendary Heroes, four individuals summoned from another world, gifted with great power to wield the Sword, Spear, Bow, and Shield respectively. However the Sword and Bow heroes got killed during the war, and the Shield Hero, much to the chagrin and animosity of Melromarc, defected to Nipponatto, actively helping the Empire defeat Melromarc. The crushing blow to Melromarc came at the Sacking of Lola, Melromarc's largest port where most of their fleets were anchored. The attack on Lola resulted in every Melromarc ship, from fishing boat to warship, being torched and sunk, with most of the city suffering serious damage. With no navy remaining, Melromarc agreed to negotiate their terms of surrender. They attempted to negotiate the extradition of the Shield Hero back to Melromarc, but the Shield Hero had become a hero to the Nipponatto and the Emperor flatly refused.

The Sensho no Kemono Era ended in 1901 NAC, followed by the Te o Kunda Era, or the Joined Hands Era, where Nipponatto withdrew their fleets from Melromarc's shores and brought gifts of timber and iron to rebuild the cities and some of the non-naval ships they had destroyed, allowing Melromarc to resume trading by sea. Nipponatto also used some of the reparations from Melromarc to repair and restore their fleets. This era lasted five years and was followed by the Tate Era, or Shield Era, honoring the Shield Hero who married into the Imperial Family, marrying the Emperor's daughter and becoming the Emperess's consort upon his wife's ascension to the throne. The Tate Era lasted until the Shield Hero's passing forty years after the war, with the ascension of his son as Emperor. The era that followed was the Hagane Era, or Steel Era, as Nipponatto launched the world's first steel-hulled ships, although they were basically ironclads using steel instead of iron, and still relying on wind and sail power. The Hagane Era lasted for one-hundred years exactly, followed by the Sakura Era, or the Cherry Tree Era, symbolizing a rebirth as Nipponatto began a focus on restoring much of their ancestral heritage, rebuilding and restoring ancient castles and temples that had been destroyed during the various wars and conflicts. After that period began the Kagayaite Era or Shining Era where they worked with the Luminous Theocracy to establish an extension to the Wall of Colors that helped to protect the rest of the continent from the monsters and Daemons of the Ruined North. The extension ultimately didn't work out but it still was a major project of the era.

Finally, in 2221 NAC, the Hyakka Era, or Hundred Flowers Era, began, and has continued unto the present day. It has been marked by a subtle beefing up of their military, partly in response to the establishment of the Sorcerer Kingdom under Ainz Ooal Gown and the births of Demon Lords in the Demon Slime Rimuru Tempest in the Jura Tempest Federation and James Miles in Erodas.

Geography
Nipponatto is mostly one large island with several small cays dotting is perimeter. The mainland is a mountainous region, with the largest mountain, known as the Ten'nō no tōdai or Beacon of the Emperor. It's commonly known as Mount Hōka, or Mount Beacon as a modern nickname for it. It is a volcano that has not erupted in at least three thousand years. Popular legend, dating back to the days of the First Empire, suggests that the Emperor of the First Empire spotted the glow of the volcano's eruption from his palace and ordered the island colonized, believing the volcano's eruption a sign from on high. Thus the volcano became known as the Beacon of the Emperor. This has, as a result, produced very fertile lands for Nipponatto's inhabitants. The mountain is considered a holy site of Nattoism, the native religion of the Nipponatto, and it is custom to pray facing the mountain. The rest of Nipponatto is fertile farmland and rice fields with several prominent cities.

There are thirteen prefectures in Nipponatto,
Edokyo - Capitol of Nipponatto
Sushia
Nattogumi
Edamemi
Surimako
Wasabi
Katsudonai
Toyaki
Toyotaka
Mitsubashi
Fujishi
Sagasaga
Hoka

Government
Nipponatto is an Empire, ruled by a hereditary Emperor or Empress, with direct successors inheriting the throne. In more ancient times, before the establishment of the Empire, the Prefectures were all independently ruled by powerful lords known as the Daimyo. Unlike the traditional Daimyo of Japanese history though, the Shoguns served the Daimyo, acting as their Generals. When the Empire rose to power, the Shoguns pledged their loyalty to the Emperor, while the Daimyo remained lords of their prefectures. Eventually, this evolved into Nipponatto's legislative branch, the Kokkai, or known as the Dieta, to outsiders.

The Kokkai is divided into two houses. The lower house members are known as the Shugo-Daimyo, and are elected by popular vote among the citizens of each prefecture. It should be noted that the Shugo-Daimyo are named, not for the Shugo Era like in Japan, but after Hitoku Shugo, a celebrated Samurai Warrior and statesmen who was the first elected official within Nipponatto. The term Shugo-Daimyo became a colloquialism for the position before ultimately being made official. The upper chamber are made up of the traditional Daimyo lords that preside over Nipponatto's prefectures, the members referred to as the Sengoku-Daimyo, again, not named for the Japanese Era. The Sengoku-Daimyo is more akin to a senate made up of lifetime hereditary appointments, and with only thirteen members, one for each Prefecture. The Sengoku-Daimyo in Nipponatto are named after Taito Sengoku, a Daimyo who was known for having held major debates with the Emperor early on into the Empire, threatening a rebellion if the Daimyo weren't granted some kind of position of authority within the Empire. The Emperor ultimately caved, creating the Kokkai for Sengoku but added the lower chamber to the legislature for the elected officials as counterbalance to the Daimyo. Sengoku was annoyed but the other Daimyo shouted him down. The term Sengoku-Daimyo ultimately stuck as despite Sengoku's rabblerousing, he still proved his loyalty to the empire and is credited with having helped to create much of Nipponatto's constitution.

The Emperor has full autonomy and authority, so the Kokkai is more of an advisory position. However the Kokkai can overrule the Emperor provided all thirteen of the Sengoku-Daimyo and all thirteen of the Shugo-Daimyo cast a unanimous veto vote to override the Emperor's orders. However this has never been done. It has been attempted twice but failed both times, the first time by one vote in the Shugo-Daimyo and the second by sweeping majorities in both chambers.

Prostitution is limited to the upper classes, with concubines often being employed by the Daimyo and the Emperor. Each Prefecture elects to send at least one woman to the Emperor as a concubine, hoping that the next Emperor or Empress will be of their respective prefecture. Nobles and court officials often have courtesans known as an oiran, in their employ typically on more permanent basis until a marriage is arranged. Even then, oirans can follow a noble even in marriage as a form of polygamy. Polygamy is not explicitly illegal but is typically something done among the upper-classes. There is some overlap between oirans and geishas as oirans typically get much of the same training as geishas but with more emphasis on sexuality. Additionally, some oirans and geishas alike, have received training as Kunoichi, female bodyguards and assassins, with their roles as Oirans and Geishas being, usually, merely a cover for their role as a bodyguard.

Nipponatto most strongly differs from Feudal Japan in having equal rights between men and women. Ever since the island nation was first settled, female Daimyos have existed as well as female leaders even though men have made up the majority of leaders throughout the years.

Slavery is fully illegal, to the point that people attempting to enter Nipponatto bringing slaves with them are barred entry unless they are willing to free the slaves in their custody on the spot, the slaves being protected by Nipponatto and granted asylum if they desire it. Part of this stems from a large demi-human population, many of whom have fled to Nipponatto to escape slavery and persecution.

Military
The Nipponatto Empire's military, mostly resembles the feudal armies of Feudal Japan although the hierarchies are different. The Shogunate are the Generals and Admirals of the Empire, with many Shoguns inheriting their titles from their fathers and mothers if they are a direct descendent or passing the title on to a trusted subordinate they believe is worthy of the title. There are thirteen shoguns at any given time, one for each prefecture. The Shogunate often work with their respective Daimyo to handle the security and protection of the people within the prefecture while the Daimyo handles the social, political, and economic matters. In times of war, the Shogunate oversee the Empire's defense, answering to the Emperor directly during wartime. During wartime, the Emperor will often select one of the Shoguns to be named the Seii-Taishogun, to be the Emperor's chief advisor and second-in-command of the entire Nipponatto Military.

Nipponatto's army forces are very similar to the feudal Japanese army forces only more unified and more focused towards external threats instead of fighting each other. Their forces consist of swordsmen, spearmen, archers, etc. Their archers are often considered among the best in the world, due largely because the majority of their archers serve aboard their ships, honing their skills greatly. Because Nipponatto is an island, it is largely isolated from groups of migrating monsters unless they are amphibious in nature, making Nipponatto relatively safe, leaving the Army to largely patrol and safeguard against bandits.

The elite of the Nipponatto military are the Samurai and the Shinobi. While in the real world, the Samurai looked down on the Shinobi, in Nipponatto, they view each others as equals if not professional rivals. The Samurai of Nipponatto are viewed as the Emperor's elite guard and soldiers, wielding not only a katana or their weapon of choice, but also capable of using magic and sorcery in defense of the Empire. Foreign equivalents would be the Paladins of the Luminous Theocracy and the Holy Knights of Erodas. The key difference is a more uniform look and aesthetic to their armor and equipment. Shinobi are the state employed ninjas and kunoichi and are deployed in secret as spies and assassins. Ninjas and Kunoichi are generally retainers, mercenaries, or otherwise unaffiliated. Nipponatto's Shinobi are some of the deadliest assassins and most effective spies in the world. Their numbers though are often very small.

Nipponatto's greatest strength though is its command of the Navy. Nipponatto commands the largest navy in the world and has some of the most advanced ships in the world, only recently being surpassed technologically by the Kingdom of Erodas's pre-Dreadnought Battleship. Nipponatto's navy are the first in the world to use screw propellers, however the power source for these propellers are human dynamos working to turn the screws. However these screws are only engaged for pursuits or naval engagements, with wind and sail being the main source of propulsion. Nipponatto warships are often wind propelled ironclad warships with teams of archers manning the top decks. Instead of cannons (as only Erodas has unlocked the secret of gunpowder so far), they use large ballistae to fire out of gunports on the broadsides of their ships, using large stone or iron arrow headed bolts similar to crossbow bolts as a makeshift cannon. Nipponatto Naval Mages often are employed to lob fireballs at enemy warships as well. Some of Nipponatto's larger warships are even double-hulled warships.

The pride of Nipponatto's navy is the triple-hulled warship, the Teikoku no Tate, the Shield of the Empire.

It is rumored that Nipponatto has also invented the world's first submarine, inventing a watertight metal craft capable of submerging beneath the surface to act as a scout craft or stealth transport of sorts, but so far this has not been confirmed.

The most persistent threats to Nipponatto are pirates and the odd sea monster. They keep a vigilant watch on their northern shores as the Ruined North lies just beyond their northern sea, and one never knows when a daemon from the North might attempt to cross over. Because of their strong naval traditions, the war banner of Nipponatto is often a red banner with a white anchor. The flag of Nipponatto is the inverse, a white flag with a red anchor in the center and red rays of sunlight shining outward from it, similar to the flag of the Japanese Empire except with an anchor instead of a sun in the center.

Culture, Religion, & Language
Nipponatto's culture if strongly reminiscent of Feudal Japan's own, only without the feudalist elements to it. There is a caste system much like during Japan's Edo period but it's much simpler in form, with the Emperor holding more power and authority, the Daimyo and Shogunate being on equal levels below the Emperor, the Samurai and Shinobi below them followed by the peasantry, with craftsman and merchants being on equal footing with peasantry. The caste system of Nipponatto is more of a social construct though as few laws exist that puts any sort of special weight in favor or against the social classes.

Because a fair portion of Nipponatto's population are demi-humans, there is considerably less prejudice against them from the native human populations, with at least two of the present Daimyo being demi-humans or of demi-human descent. The embrace of the defector Shield Hero from Melromarc has made the Shield Hero a local icon due in no small part to his championing the demi-humans and his own actions in the War of the Waves as well as having eventually married into the Imperial Family. Because of the Shield Hero's actions, his birthday is celebrated as a three day festival to remember the war and those who fell as well as to honor the heroes of the war. The current Shield Hero, Naofumi Iwatani, has not yet visited Nipponatto, partly due to his present criminal status within Melromarc which legally precludes him from leaving the country, however he has been sighted outside of Melromarc and could still reach Nipponatto via Belzerg or Luminous. The Emperor himself has promised asylum status to the Shield Hero should he ever make it to the country.

Interestingly, there is a decent population of Dwarves within Nipponatto. They are largely settled within Mount Hoka itself, being referred to as the Hoka Dwarves. They are known for using the molten lava within the volcano to for their own ore production. The Hoka Dwarves have somewhat embraced Nipponatto culture and are considered subjects of the Empire. Interestingly, the Hoka Dwarves accidentally introduced Nipponatto to another Japanese cultural staple: Sumo, which has rapidly evolved into becoming the national sport of Nipponatto since its introduction.

Aside from their navy, Nipponatto is known for their unique foods, most of them being the bounties of the sea such as fish and squid. Many dishes made from fish, squid, and seaweed are prominent in Nipponatto culture. The fermented soy beans called Natto are also a prominent meal. Rice is a major export of Nipponatto, as there are many rice fields in Nipponatto where rice is grown. There are many other cultural dishes that have been somehow imported from real-world Japan's that have made it to Nipponatto.

An interesting cultural phenomenon exists within Nipponatto, with the formation of Geisha-esque singing and dance groups, referred to as Nippon Idols, often cultivating fan bases who clamor to attend their performances. The groups are known for wearing colorful attire and singing unique and original music with synchronized dancing, attracting children and adults alike. The Empire has been looking to use these groups as cultural ambassadors for Nipponatto, granting them Shinobi and Samurai escorts.

Most Nipponese are followers of Nattoism, named after Nattosha the First Empress, which has several similarities to real-world Shintoism but also maintains a pantheon for their Emperors and great heroes and figures within Nipponatto. The Emperor is considered the head of the Nattoist faith and has the sole power to canonize people and individuals into the pantheon. It is custom that the sitting emperor at the time of death of a previous emperor, canonize their predecessor. Although the Emperor is considered a god-emperor, they are not directly worshipped, instead being viewed as the religion's chief of state similar to a pope, only achieving true godhood upon being posthumously canonized. The Shield Hero that defected to Nipponatto during the War of the Waves was canonized for his heroism and deeds after he passed away. Nattoism does have several key tenets which preaches a strong sense of self-determination on a national scale, respecting the ideologies and traditions of other cultures. It basically boils down to a form of isolationism in that designs on imperialistic conquest are frowned upon and only wars of self-defense are ever to be waged. This has led to Nipponatto being a strong neutral party to most nations.

The Luminous Theocracy's Church of the Holy Light and the more ancient Wold Religion does have a presence in Nipponatto but it is significantly smaller on average.

In terms of language, Nipponatto's primary language, Nipponese, is yet another reference to real-world Japan. Nipponese is nearly indistinguishable from Japanese. There is, however, a few words and phrases of real-world Korean origin that are common in the vernacular. Otherwise the language is the same, complete with some of the same dialects of the modern day.

Diplomacy
Nipponatto enjoys strong relationships with most nations, particularly coastal nations as they are more readily capable of trading by sea. As such they enjoy good relationships with the Luminous Theocracy, Belzerg, Crimonia, Erodas, and Lugnica. The only coastal nations they don't have as good a relationship with are Arcanis and the Sederan Empire. In Arcanis's case, their relationship is still good but trade with them is mostly blocked due to the presence of the Sederan Empire on the eastern most coast, blocking passage around to Arcanis by ship. The Sederans are hostile to all nations including Nipponatto due to a strong imperialistic tendency and have often raided Nipponatto ships when they attempt to pass through which has crippled if not blocked all sea trade with Arcanis. Despite the blocked sea routes, Nipponatto and Arcanis still are on good terms.

Their relationships with the landlocked nations of Primassa and Bleumarch are good as well, but trade with them is very difficult. They were also on good terms with Illicia prior to its annexation by Erodas in 1218 ESC. More recently, they have been working to establish trade with the monster nation of the Jura Tempest Federation but as Tempest does not have any seaports yet, any trade with them will have to be done vicariously through Erodas who has the nearest and largest port to Tempest.

Aside from the Sederan Empire, Melromarc is the only nation that Nipponatto does not have good relations with. There is still a lingering mistrust of Melromarc due to the War of the Waves, and many within Melromarc still views Nipponatto as the enemy. The Shield Hero is similarly demonized because of his betrayal during the war, even though the present Shield Hero had nothing to do with it. The more recent Queens of Melromarc have been trying to improve relations but more recently the current queen, Queen Mirellia Q. Melromarc, has suffered a setback due to her husband's having summoned the Four Legendary Heroes without her permission, sparking a political incident. Another factor for ongoing tensions with Melromarc is due to the prejudices of the demi-humans within Nipponatto, as many of them escaped or are descended from those who escaped Melromarc due to Melromarc's human supremacist stances. Nipponatto has enacted an asylum policy and has worked with several figures within Melromarc to form an underground network to help demi-human slaves and their sympathizers escape Melromarc to Nipponatto. Officially, Nipponatto is not interfering in these matters but there is definite unofficial support for the operation.

Finally, the Sorcerer Kingdom is a matter of concern, as it is for all nations. Nipponatto is less concerned about it though due to the fact that the Sorcerer Kingdom is landlocked between Erodas, Belzerg, and Primassa and has no access to the sea which means they cannot presently be reached.

James's Notes: "Nipponatto is one country I never got to visit prior to being named a Holy Knight or becoming a Demon Lord. But I have gotten to meet several traders from there. They trade in a number of traditional Japanese goods, namely rice, soy sauce, natto, etc. My first visit came during the King's international tour aboard Erodas's first ocean liner. The Emperor and the King seemed to get along well. It's kinda fascinating how Nipponatto is a blend of modern and feudal Japan. The feudal era culture and technology mixed with the sense of unity of the modern Japan. As an unapologetic otaku from my world, visiting Nipponatto was like getting to go to Japan so I was excited by this visit. It didn't disappoint as the Emperor treated us to a private performance by a kabuki theater troupe. My encounters with the Nipponese have been cordial and friendly and they seem to be happy with Erodas's good fortune, but also visibly jealous of our technological advancements in the naval department. They don't realize just how close they are to getting their own. I'm hoping that my lectures in Arcanis on the development of the Steam Engine has passed along to Nipponatto. I'd love for them to enter an age of steam.

Oh and that bit where they might be working on a submarine? Yeah~h they are. My Demon Lord instincts kinda tingled in the waters near the shore and sure enough I saw this crude submersible craft near the shore. It looks like they're still working on the basics but bully for them. I wonder if I can't improve on the design."