[Utagawa Matoi]

---

Yuki no Kuni

---

Major Cities

Yukigakure [Village Hidden in the Snow] - the Ninja Village of the Land. It is the headquarters for the nation's shinobi force.

Shouninnomura [Village of Merchants] - Initially a small trading settlement, it quickly grew during the rule of the Second Lady of Yukigakure, and turned into a large trading port. The Capitol is a very rich and busy city, due to the amount of money flowing through there. The Daiymo's Palace resides in the center of the city, surrounded by Black Ice walls and constant shinobi patrols for protection.

Shisenno [City of Ships] - A large wharf with a port, located on the western shores of the Land of Snow. It is a large factory city, which prides itself in building ships. This is also where the famous Yukigakure Trains are being built - machines powered by steam and Chakra, which carry people and loads across the frozen country.

Heishiwan [Soldier's Bay] - Contrary to its name, it is a mining colony. The Land gets most of its steel, coal and minerals from its mines. The namesake comes from the period of the First Invasion of the Land of Bears, when the First Lord Of Yukigakure, Tayuya Odo, launched his invasion from here.

Byakuya [Arctic Night] - A recently developed town built into the white stone of the southwest mountains. A tourist destination thanks to its natural saltwater hot-springs and unique Snow Fountain Cherry trees. The Arena is located at the village's summit and draws in shinobi from all over to face its challenges.

Minor Cities

Hyōketsu - A small village on the otherside of the forest surrounding Yukigakure. It's a simple logging village, living in the safety of the Hidden Village's shadow. People there are simple living, but confident they are safe.

Nuigurumi - An attempt at being independent from Yukigakure and the law. The small 'town' of Nuigurumi sprung up recently as a badly kept secret for mercenaries and pirates to hide out in. They are hidden rather well by the surrounding forest and mountains. While the town's makeup is less than exemplary, they haven't actually done anything to justify disbanding the town. So an eye is kept on it, but there is no movement set up against it.

Seppen - Built originally as a cooling station for the train to stop at after traversing the dangerous peaks of the nearby mountain range, a small town has sprung up around it. They live off the land for the most part, using greenhouses and the nearby forest. But they also are able to get supplies from Shisenno when needed due to the vicinity.

Landmarks

Hyōzan Keep - A large military fortress built into the surrounding mountains. This is a travel hub for the cross roads railways. It is constantly manned with military personel that can be sent out along the tracks at a moments notice. While civilians are allowed within the traveler's checkpoint, in order to switch trains if needed, they are not allowed beyond into the actual fort.

Bōheki Watch, Kyokuchi Watch, Narusawa Watch, Tsurara Watch - Watch towers dotted around the country. They keep eyes on the surrounding areas to make sure there is no funny business. Reports are sent to Yukigakure and Hyōzan Keep on a regular basis. Kyokuchi Watch is unique in that it hosts a merchant village filled with warehouses and temporary dwellings for those who use the area for storage.

Raiu Mine, Kasai Mine, Hisame Mine - The mines near Heishiwan. They produce the minerals and ore that make up a majority of Yuki no Kuni's exports. The mines are also used to produce metal to make weapons for Yukigakure's shinobi.

The Arena - Built into mountain at the summit of Byakuya, the Arena is a massive underground structure built to host a number of skill-challenging events.

Hateshinai Kōri - A seemingly endless expanse of ice that stretches from Shouninnomura to Hyōzan Keep. It is very difficult to traverse this field on foot, with constant sub-zero winds battering the surface and no real forms of shelter. The train is the safest way to travel. Some say that there are still skeletons buried in the ice from when the tracks were laid down.

Kuroi Kōri - Home of Yukigakure's infamous Black Ice. The ice and snow here is stained black from volcanic black salt that comes from the hot springs located deep within the tunnels. The coveted Black Ice is located deep within these caverns, gaining its strength from constant thawing and refreezing due to the unique situation the salt and springs offer. Due to its value, the Black Ice caverns are forbidden to exploration unless permission is given by the leaders of Yuki no Kuni.

Seikyo Dōkutsu - A tunnel of ice going directly through the mountains. The smooth glittering blue surfaces of the walls make traveling through this tunnel a favorite of train passengers. But it's only that main tunnel that is trustworthy. There are branching tunnels that are forbidden from foot traffic due to their treacherous nature. The smooth walls act as mirrors, hiding deadly crevasses from sight until it is too late. If one would get in too deep within the tunnels, finding their way out would be near impossible because of the glassy surfaces hiding and messing up the perception of paths.

---

Yukigakure

---

Yukigakure - X - Despite the fact that the settlement is 'The Village Hidden in the Snow', it is not a ninja village, as most of the shinobi are stationed in the Castle Black. This is where their families live, and it is where all the warehouses, shops and entertainment facilities are located. The village consists of 1-2 story houses and is surrounded by a fortified wall. In the center of the village, there is a Railway station - the endpoint for all of the village's supply runs. To the north, the village has a small port.

Castle Black - X - This Castle was built by the Second Lady of Yukigakure, Furuikazan Yuriko. It is a mighty fortress located on a steep hill, overseeing the village below. It is built out of enchanted Black Ice, which is stronger than steel, can withstand chakra-based attacks, and is imbued with chakra, making climbing over the walls with ninjutsu techniques impossible. The Castle serves as an HQ for the Land's shinobi and contains enough provisions to withstand a 2-year siege. Its purpose is to provide shelter for the villages in case of an invasion.

Palace of White Ice - X - The Palace of White Ice is a small, yet majestic structure, located at the very heart of Castle Black. It is made out of stone and ice, and has very little defensive capabilities, yet is stunning aesthetically, holding about itself the frigid yet pure image of the Winter itself. It is a very quiet and solitary place. It was built by the Second Lady of Yukigakure to serve as her residence, and has been home to future rulers of the village ever since. The Fourth Lady, Nakajima Emiri, lives here now, in the highest tower, in the middle of the Palace.

The Prison of Yukigakure - X - The Yukigakure Prison is an underground facility, located to the south-west of the village. It is used to keep dangerous prisoners and criminals in. It is made out of special stone, which disallows the use of Doton Ninjutsu to aid in an escape attempt. The whole facility is a maze, which is rumored to change directions from time to time, making mapping and escaping impossible. The only one who knows his way around the Prison is Dai Ri - the Prison Warden, who also helped design and build the facility.