Apr 24, 2020 8:48 am
Time in Rokugan is measured in several ways. The seasons are the most obvious division of time, as the weather in Rokugan switches from oppressive heat during the summer months to crippling snow in the winter. A more formal system of months and days also existed, dividing the year into twelve months of 28 days.
SEASONS
The seasons of Rokugan defined what sorts of activities can happen at any given time. The summers are harsh and the winters more so. All of Rokugan revolved around the cyclical march of the seasons and the limitations they imposed.
Spring
Winters in Rokugan are harsh, and the coming of spring is a return to normal life for most of Rokugan's inhabitants. The farmers across the land return to their work, planting the year's crops. Courtiers gain the prestige of having the treaties and agreements they drew up at the Empire's various winter courts finally ratified. Merchants begin crossing the land, bringing their wares to a populace eager to see anyone from outside their own communities. It is also a time of many celebrations, particularly the Cherry Blossom Festivals that takes place across Rokugan.
Summer
During the summer, Rokugan is filled with heat and humidity. There is little rain, and there are frequent droughts. Making war is very difficult during the heat of the summer, so battles are generally few. The summer lasts until the winds off the seas bring the monsoon; turning the lands to mud, flooding the rice fields across the Empire and heralding the onset of autumn.
Autumn
Autumn is a time of preparation. The year's crops are harvested, and the year's tax is collected. While there is time for war, the end of the season marks the time when all armies return to their homes for shelter from the coming winter.
Winter
Winter is a time of strangling cold. The snow and ice that falls across the Empire make roads impassable; effectively trapping everyone wherever they happened to be when winter starts. The nobles of Rokugan retreat for the season into winter courts across the land. There, the courtiers of the clans go to work securing alliances and trade agreements, and the artisans of the land try their best to display their skills to all who would bear witness.
MONTHS, DAYS, & HOURS
Months
The Rokugani calendar is a "lunar calendar" divided into twelve months of 28 days each. There are two general naming conventions used to identify the months. The traditional naming system named the months with the names of animal spirits, but the calendar used by the nobles of the samurai caste named the months with the names of the Kami.
The table below listed the various month names used in Rokugan. The seasons listed are based on climate, not astronomy, and so are somewhat variable, depending on weather and location.
Spring
==> Common Month: Hare, Noble Month: Sun
==> Common Month: Dragon, Noble Month: Moon
==> Common Month: Serpent, Noble Month: Hantei
Summer
==> Common Month: Horse, Noble Month: Akodo
==> Common Month: Goat, Noble Month: Doji
==> Common Month: Monkey, Noble Month: Shiba
Autumn
==> Common Month: Rooster, Noble Month: Bayushi
==> Common Month: Dog, Noble Month: Shinjo
==> Common Month: Boar, Noble Month: Hida
Winter
==> Common Month: Rat, Noble Month: Togashi
==> Common Month: Ox, Noble Month: Fu Leng
==> Common Month: Tiger, Noble Month: Ryoshun
Hours
The day in Rokugan is divided into twelve hours. The hours follow the same naming convention as the months (above), including the two different naming systems. The day in Rokugan begins with the Hour of the Hare, at sunup (6 AM), the night began with the Hour of the Rooster. A folktale known as the Great Race depicted how Onnotangu and Amaterasu had given the names.
Hare / Sun
==> Starting Hour 6AM
==> Ending Hour 8AM
==> Day/Night: Day
Dragon / Moon
==> Starting Hour 8AM
==> Ending Hour 10AM
==> Day/Night: Day
Serpent / Hantei
==> Starting Hour 10AM
==> Ending Hour 12PM
==> Day/Night: Day
Horse / Akodo
==> Starting Hour 12PM
==> Ending Hour 2PM
==> Day/Night: Day
Goat / Doji
==> Starting Hour 2PM
==> Ending Hour 4PM
==> Day/Night: Day
Monkey / Shiba
==> Starting Hour 4PM
==> Ending Hour 6PM
==> Day/Night: Day
Rooster / Bayushi
==> Starting Hour 6PM
==> Ending Hour 8PM
==> Day/Night: Night
Dog / Shinjo
==> Starting Hour 8PM
==> Ending Hour 10PM
==> Day/Night: Night
Boar / Hida
==> Starting Hour 10PM
==> Ending Hour 12AM
==> Day/Night: Night
Rat / Togashi
==> Starting Hour 12AM
==> Ending Hour 2AM
==> Day/Night: Night
Ox / Fu Leng
==> Starting Hour 2AM
==> Ending Hour 4AM
==> Day/Night: Night
Tiger / Ryoshun
==> Starting Hour 4AM
==> Ending Hour 6AM
==> Day/Night: Night
(Source: L5R Fandom)
SEASONS
The seasons of Rokugan defined what sorts of activities can happen at any given time. The summers are harsh and the winters more so. All of Rokugan revolved around the cyclical march of the seasons and the limitations they imposed.
Spring
Winters in Rokugan are harsh, and the coming of spring is a return to normal life for most of Rokugan's inhabitants. The farmers across the land return to their work, planting the year's crops. Courtiers gain the prestige of having the treaties and agreements they drew up at the Empire's various winter courts finally ratified. Merchants begin crossing the land, bringing their wares to a populace eager to see anyone from outside their own communities. It is also a time of many celebrations, particularly the Cherry Blossom Festivals that takes place across Rokugan.
Summer
During the summer, Rokugan is filled with heat and humidity. There is little rain, and there are frequent droughts. Making war is very difficult during the heat of the summer, so battles are generally few. The summer lasts until the winds off the seas bring the monsoon; turning the lands to mud, flooding the rice fields across the Empire and heralding the onset of autumn.
Autumn
Autumn is a time of preparation. The year's crops are harvested, and the year's tax is collected. While there is time for war, the end of the season marks the time when all armies return to their homes for shelter from the coming winter.
Winter
Winter is a time of strangling cold. The snow and ice that falls across the Empire make roads impassable; effectively trapping everyone wherever they happened to be when winter starts. The nobles of Rokugan retreat for the season into winter courts across the land. There, the courtiers of the clans go to work securing alliances and trade agreements, and the artisans of the land try their best to display their skills to all who would bear witness.
MONTHS, DAYS, & HOURS
Months
The Rokugani calendar is a "lunar calendar" divided into twelve months of 28 days each. There are two general naming conventions used to identify the months. The traditional naming system named the months with the names of animal spirits, but the calendar used by the nobles of the samurai caste named the months with the names of the Kami.
The table below listed the various month names used in Rokugan. The seasons listed are based on climate, not astronomy, and so are somewhat variable, depending on weather and location.
Spring
==> Common Month: Hare, Noble Month: Sun
==> Common Month: Dragon, Noble Month: Moon
==> Common Month: Serpent, Noble Month: Hantei
Summer
==> Common Month: Horse, Noble Month: Akodo
==> Common Month: Goat, Noble Month: Doji
==> Common Month: Monkey, Noble Month: Shiba
Autumn
==> Common Month: Rooster, Noble Month: Bayushi
==> Common Month: Dog, Noble Month: Shinjo
==> Common Month: Boar, Noble Month: Hida
Winter
==> Common Month: Rat, Noble Month: Togashi
==> Common Month: Ox, Noble Month: Fu Leng
==> Common Month: Tiger, Noble Month: Ryoshun
Hours
The day in Rokugan is divided into twelve hours. The hours follow the same naming convention as the months (above), including the two different naming systems. The day in Rokugan begins with the Hour of the Hare, at sunup (6 AM), the night began with the Hour of the Rooster. A folktale known as the Great Race depicted how Onnotangu and Amaterasu had given the names.
Hare / Sun
==> Starting Hour 6AM
==> Ending Hour 8AM
==> Day/Night: Day
Dragon / Moon
==> Starting Hour 8AM
==> Ending Hour 10AM
==> Day/Night: Day
Serpent / Hantei
==> Starting Hour 10AM
==> Ending Hour 12PM
==> Day/Night: Day
Horse / Akodo
==> Starting Hour 12PM
==> Ending Hour 2PM
==> Day/Night: Day
Goat / Doji
==> Starting Hour 2PM
==> Ending Hour 4PM
==> Day/Night: Day
Monkey / Shiba
==> Starting Hour 4PM
==> Ending Hour 6PM
==> Day/Night: Day
Rooster / Bayushi
==> Starting Hour 6PM
==> Ending Hour 8PM
==> Day/Night: Night
Dog / Shinjo
==> Starting Hour 8PM
==> Ending Hour 10PM
==> Day/Night: Night
Boar / Hida
==> Starting Hour 10PM
==> Ending Hour 12AM
==> Day/Night: Night
Rat / Togashi
==> Starting Hour 12AM
==> Ending Hour 2AM
==> Day/Night: Night
Ox / Fu Leng
==> Starting Hour 2AM
==> Ending Hour 4AM
==> Day/Night: Night
Tiger / Ryoshun
==> Starting Hour 4AM
==> Ending Hour 6AM
==> Day/Night: Night
(Source: L5R Fandom)