Why Amahara is Not Japan

Amahara is not Japan. In fact, it is very appropriately categorised as a form of NotJapan. The following are a few reasons why Amahara is similar to but not Japan.

• Amahara does not have an Emperor - it has an Apostle. It us not an empire in the sense of having an imperial crown or imperial ruler and indeed has no imperial clan or household. In past ages, the Apostles of Amahara did come from a single, unbroken matriarchal household, which might be considered an analogue to an imperial house. The Apostles of Amahara are vessels of and embody Princess Kaguya, one of the two legendary founders of Amahara who became venerated after the close of the Mythic Era. The other legendary founder, Tatehaya, is often viewed as an emperor but is just as frequently described as a king of kings or the first shogun. In any case, his rule ended with the Great Flood.
• Since the Sengoku period, Amahara Shinto has been concerned with proselytising and spreading Shinto well beyond the borders of the home islands. Besides acquiring knowledge, respect and raw materials, this religious aspect gives secondary impetus for Amahara to reach out to the world.
• Amahara Shinto was never conflated with Buddhism as it was in Japan and is considered indigenous to Amahara.
• Amahara Shinto does not have priests in leadership positions supported by shrine maidens, only priestesses who are themselves a graduated subclass of shrine maiden. In this way, the organisation of the religion differs greatly from real life Shinto.
• Amahara (and the world it's in) is way less sexist than the real world. Female ninjas and samurai are normal and the all-female priestesses of Shinto are considered the highest ranked members of society.
• The Dominion of Amahara in the Age of Steam is fundamentalist - religious clerics (as opposed to military, industrialist or civil officials) form the most powerful faction in the government.

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