Cold Mountain Samurai
Shirayama, or White Mountain, is known to the locals as Cold Mountain. The snows above the village never fully melt.
Shirayama is held by the Falcon Clan and borders the lands of the Crab. From the heights of the mountain, when the weather is accommodating, the Falcon can see the Northern portions of the Kaiu Wall, Shadowlands movement in many mountains south of the Wall, and Shinomen Forest and the Plain of Thunder.
Shirayama village features a Watchtower, a famous Gate, a Shrine and a Dojo.
“White Mountain Gate”
Shirayama Torii is the ancient pine wood gate that marks the entrance to White Mountain Village. The gate was built in the year 217 by monk-followers of Osano-Wo, from a massive, whitened, barkless pine.
It is customary to utter a prayer to Osano-Wo as the gate is crossed.
Some three hundred steps beyond the gate, travelers will find themselves at the beginning of the main street of White Mountain Village, from where most other locations can be accessed.
“White Mountain Dojo”
This dojo is run by the Falcon Clan. It focuses on bushido, meditation, kenjutsu, communing and understanding spirits. The Governor’s brother runs the Dojo. This winter, the Dojo is full of students coming home for Winter, showing off the skills they have learned and improved outside of the Clan lands, hopeful that they will be worthy to learn new techniques from their sensei, Toritaka Yasumoto.
Shirayama Hime Jinja
“White Mountain Princess Shrine”
Watched over by the monk Umemoto, the shrine is dedicated to the kami of the water fall that runs icy water year long, although it serves as a general shrine where ancestors and spirits are celebrated and appeased. It is the only public shrine in the village.
Hayabusa no su
“Falcon’s Nest”, Village Governor’s House
“Shield Tower”, Observation Tower comprising Crab and Falcon Troops
Although they are called Iron Mines, iron is not the only metal mined here. Precious stones are also mined. The mile is located a quarter mile northeast of the village and every day, small streams of workers pour in and out of the main access trail.