Province of Sakura

The Province of Sakura was was the most populous province of the Empire of Plagatéa. The province was established under the rule of Tsuki Hoshasei, who became Lord of Sakura until his death, succeeded by the young Aisuru Numachi.

Formation
As the states of Plagos united under Nova Plagatéan Federation, the lands previously under the control of the Shigetada Shogunate were organized into the Province of Sakura, where the Sakuran calendar begins on Keiseihi 1 Sanchōki, 0 SKE (as backdated by Alexander S. Numachi during the Sakura Cultural Revolution). The then city of Ieon was established as the capital of the new nation, with the settlements and lands of the towns of Sakura, Yamagake and Linwan being put under the rule of the province. Not long later though, Lord Tsuki would die in an encounter with worshippers of Entropy in southern Plagos. At his death bed, he named his foster daughter, Aisuru Naho, who became Aisuru Numachi as the new Lord of the province, before shortly passing away. Despite in legal terms being a Lord, Aisuru titled herself formally as Lady Aisuru Numachi.

Ieon, the Town of Sakura and later Kitaichi
The province was named after the town nearby to the capital, Ieon, founded around the first, holy Sakuraki (lit. holy blossom tree) found in the swamps, the seeds from which were planted elsewhere in Sakurakitochi (lit. 'the lands of the holy blossom tree'), which was formally known in Plagatéa as the Province of Sakura. Sakura Castle was constructed on the mountain cliff beside the town of Sakura, becoming an iconic sight of the province as one of the 'Twin Castles', alongside Ieon Castle constructed a short while previously. Towards the end of the Empire, Ieon and Sakura were merged into one larger capital city, becoming known as Kitaichi, by agreement between Lady Aisuru and Tagavor Nero (who resided in Sakura Castle and Ieon Castle respectively).

Yamagake
Yamagake was founded by Cync Numachi, second son of Aisuru Numachi and Techno Numachi. It was developed from the already-present mines within Numachi mountain, with Cync designing plans for houses built into the side of the mountain as a project to be undertaken by the Sakuran provincial government. However, little progress would be made, with only a few sample buildings built and some further plans including tower and gate placements created by Eli Akihiro (who was later adopted by Tagavor Nero).

Due to the proximity of Yamagake to the town of Sakura, a young Alexander S. Numachi often visited with his brother Cync and his mother. It was here, in the nearby woodland, that he discovered Hitomi Numachi, who would be adopted by the Numachi family and grow up close to Alexander. Later in his life, after Cync's health began to fail, thanks to the so-called 'curse' of the Numachis, Alexander, now a young man, was sent to further the development of the town, which he would reference in later writings as the making of him, giving him a valuable alternative education to academics. Under Alexander as Daimyo, Yamagake grew larger, with many rows of houses built on the cliff face of Numachi Mountain and Cync's plans finally realised. Yamagake also began to floruish with a stable population as a market town as well as mineral extraction. Additionally, the Numachi Nōbumachi Kōenkabe (Royal Numachi Garden) was added to the plans as a tribute to his mother and father, plans only realised however during the Realm of Asarakaen.