Kōwan-shi

Kōwan-shi (光腕市 Kōwan-shi) is the fictional capital located within Japan's Mie Prefecture, and is the setting of the Gates of Heaven RP.

The population of Kōwan is relatively small for a capital city, and used to be very quiet. It is now remarkably busy, with a notoriously high crime rate due to a massive spike in Stand Users caused by a phenomenon unearthed during the 1981 Kōwan Construction Project that caused every child born within city limits to be born with a Stand.

Kōwan is rife with landmarks, with nearly all of them connected to Stand Users somehow by this point. There is also an immense amount of local urban legends here for anyone brave enough to explore them.

Backstory
Kōwan was once a sleepy coastal city that was one of the earliest developed in Japan. It flourished during the Edo period, a popular stop for travellers headed to Ise Shrine, about 40 km to the southwest. It became a captial in the mid-1800's, and faced heavy destruction in World War II. Through natural disasters and wartimes, it has always been rebuilt, and by 1980 was a small city with outsider-wary locals, it's main job market being in fishing and computer repair.

To this day, Kōwan is dotted with old, half destroyed buildings and even a castle, as well as many parks and fields, though most of the town is fairly modernized. It's downtown area is a sight to behold at night, full of neon lighting and large signs as well as skyscraping buildings interwoven amongst small o medium businesses and warehouses. The northwest coast of the city is full of gorgeous villas amongst rolling hills beside a very popular beach front, a much desired residental area for those with a bit more money to spare. The rest of the coast is mostly devoted to the marina, shipping boats and fishing docks, a much more industrial area.

Amongst the coastal area, stands a single, enormous building lined with beautiful windows. This building is taller than any other skyscraper in the city, piercing through the horizon and looming over the city. It's the headquarters for the Kōwan branch of the Speedwagon Foundation, housing the Enforcers, Trackers and Bureaucrats of the organization. It was finished construction in 1984, and the locals either see it as a bastion of safety or a looming, controlling presence.

The SPW-K came to the city partly due to the 1981 Kōwan Construction Project, when during the building of a megamall in the city, construction workers dug up a very odd rock that resembled a meteor. Though they weren't aware of it at the time, the rock eminated a strange power that caused everyone who handled it up until it was donated to the Kōwan Museum after thorough study to be given strange and invisible powers.

Ever since the stone was unearthed, 97% of children born in city limits were born with a Stand. This has caused the largest known boom of Stand Users in history, and with it, the city has exploded in crime rates and violence due to the lack of proper law enforcement. To control this, the SPW-K has become an additional law enforcement unit within the town, keeping a close eye on Stand Users by having every Stand User in town place a special marker on their ID cards. Everyone who enters the city is highly vetted, and Stand Users are under near constant monitoring by Informants and teachers in the schools. This creates an atmosphere of tense division within the city, that shows no sign of letting up.

Climate
Kōwan has a humid, subtropical climate.

The summer is typically hot and humid, as well as being rather commonly rainy. The temperature can get as high as 32°C, but rarely exceeds 26°C.

The winters are relatively mild and very windy, and the city hardly sees more than frost. Even minor snowfalls can cause city-wide shutdowns, and the temperatures rarely dip below 0°C, with a seasonal average of 4°C.

Seasonal Attractions
Around May 24th in Kōwan, beaches begin to open up to the public, causing tourism to be highest within the summer. The parks around town also come into bloom, and picnics are very popular. The tourist population has dwindled in recent years due to the heavy vetting of the SPW-K and the violence in the city, and the industry receives woefully little revenue now.

Popular activities include fishing, golfing, camping, hiking, picnicking, yachting, windsurfing, sampling the very common and well-prepared seafood cuisine the town is known for, festivals, visiting local fortune tellers and visiting the ruins of Kōwan Castle. The investigation of local urban legends is probably the most popular activity for tourists and locals.

Downtown Kōwan
Downtown Kōwan is a famous location for it's neon lighting and beautiful, busy atmosphere. It's home to most businesses, bars and restaurants in town, including the well-known convenience store, Roundabout, and a small, old-fashioned noodlebar called Puchi Ebi, known for it's seafood ramen. It stands nearly at the heart of Kōwan.

Puchi Ebi


Known for it's delicious seafood ramen and fresh ingredients purchased daily, this old fashioned noodle bar is mostly made of old wood, with a cloth flap door. There are only five tables and four barstools, but this hidden gem is remarkably loved by the students in the city to the point of avoiding most property damage. It's sign depicts a shrimp riding a shooting star.

Roundabout
A small convenience store with a small home situated above it, this store is well liked by the student population for it's fresh baked pastries and friendly atmosphere. It is protected by a rather infamous Stand User known to most as Azure Dragon, though this reputation tends to attract a few bold Stand Users looking for a fight.

Nagareboshi Arcade
The most popular arcade in town, this is a stunningly popular hangout for students all around town, due to it's close proximity to the rail lines of the city. It has all of the most recent games, and students often fight, in game or not, for the top slots on the machines. A pachinko parlor is built into the side to humour older audiences. It's immense popularity has caused the other arcade in town, the more old-fashioned Lucky Land, to have nearly cripplingly low business.

The Kōwan Library
A surprisingly large, two story library near Downtown Kōwan, The Kōwan Library is a popular stop for those looking to study or simply find some peace and quiet in town. There is talk of an internet cafe opening up here, and town officials are interested in adding a small cafe, though the employees of the library worry the wide array of books here may end up damaged by such a move. Many rare, dusty tomes can be found deep within the library, as can multiple books on the history of the city or the Kōwan HUB Stone.

Kōwan Museum
This beautiful stone and marble building houses many one of a kind artifacts from around Kōwan and from its history, from old, scavenged American artillery shells to pieces of wreckage found about the coast to the famous Kōwan HUB Stone, the main attraction of the museum. This museum also houses a lifesized model of the largest Megamouth Shark found around Japanese waters, affectionately named 'Big Kuchi'.

Bishōjo Doll Emporium


This creepy, macabre dollshop is the subject of one of the most frightening urban legends in Kōwan. The legend states that any who enter will disappear for an indefinite time, before reappearing in a confused, disoriented state while a doll of their likeness appears in the shop. Due to its disturbingly lifelike dolls and action figures, the store is avoided by a bulk of the population.

Uguisu Park
The most popular park in town, this is a hotspot for everyone in town, dotted with beautiful bridges crossing the small, winding stream that is punctuated by a medium sized pond full of Koi fish. It is full of beautiful keyaki and sakura trees, with multiple well maintained flower gardens and oil lamp posts throughout the park that line the tan brick pathways. In the centre stands a tall, beautiful foundation with a statue of a noble samurai in the centre. Overlooking the park is Sakura Peak, further enhancing the park's popularity, as well as Yukī Shrine.

Sakura Peak
This landmark is most popular in the spring and summer, while the cherry trees are in full bloom. It overlooks the scenic Uguisu Park, and is a beloved location for couples. Many festivals are hosted here, as the fireworks can be best seen from this location. Near the back of this beautiful area is Yukī Shrine, a popular and respected point that has never been damaged by crime or Stand violence.

Yukī Shrine
A quiet Shinto Shrine nestled in the back of Sakura Peak within the small but thick forest, at the end of a dirt path, this place is a popular point for both tourists and locals, being very respected. It's one of two Shrines in the town, not counting the Ise Shrine to the southwest.

Kōwan Cemetary
Located in a vast, relatively flat but well maintained field in the westernmost side of Kōwan, this place houses the dead of the city, and is next to the bigger of two Shinto Shrines in Kōwan, the Kibatake Shrine. This is a very quiet, sombre place.

Kibatake Shrine
The larger Shrine in Kōwan, this place would be better described as a temple, it's primary purpose being to pay respects to the dead and the ancestors that built the city. It was rebuilt after nearly being destroyed by a bombing run in World War II, and has immense traffic due to people paying respects to their deceased family, some of whom died in the strikes.

Kōwan Castle
A once great cobblestone castle from the Edo Period, the Kōwan Castle is now merely a pile of ruined rubble, with a few of the bottom floor rooms and some of the foyer half standing. This is a popular tourist site, but any who take items or rubble from the castle are subject to heavy fines and community service.

Kōwan Port


The industrial marina of the city, this area is often populated by freight ships and fishing boats, creating a somewhat busy but beautiful city with a watery horizon that stretches past eye view due to it's connection to the Pacific Ocean.

Coastal Homes
This area is less clustered than the rest of the residental areas in Kōwan and very high in demand for those with some extra money to throw around. It has a single gated community near it's entrance for those with concerns about the crime and violence in the city that is remarkably peaceful, if not boring. These homes are just to the north of Tsutsuji Academy.

Osore HQ
Hidden amongst the gated, secure and blockwatched neighbourhood of the Coastal Homes, Osore uses this place as their base of operations unbeknownst to all. It may offend some to see how safely and comfortably this gang lives in comparison to some of the more honest folk in the more dangerous places.

Hinode Resort
This resort is the largest and most popular in the city, with a stunning hotel on the beachfront just south of the Coastal Homes. There is a luxurious spa here, as well as a five star restaurant and tour guides willing to escort non-Stand User tourists throughout the dangerous but enticing city.

Speedwagon Foundation HQ


The tallest building in Kōwan, the SPW-K Headquarters is both loved and feared by the populous. This building houses all staff in the SPW if they don't desire to find a home within the city, and they work very closely with the local Law Enforcement. The fact that they have many hidden Informants throughout the town causes distrust amongst the Stand Users in the city. There are also small toll booths stationed at every entrance into the city to identify any entering or exiting Stand Users to keep tabs on their activity, as many Stand Users in the city wield their powers for their own gain to disturbing degrees.

While internships are offered to the students in Kōwan in two different positions, Tracking and Academics, the SPW-K is known for forcibly conscripting potentially dangerous or out of control youth in the city into their Enforcement ranks, a highly controversial move.

Kōwan Orphanage
The Kōwan Orphanage stands just off the southern coast of the Kōwan Port. It's a surprisingly homey location, and the usually permanent home for the older orphans taken in from the streets or from their old homes. A small portion of the youth here never get adopted, and live here until they are ready for university or are able to rent apartments or homes of their own. The Sanjo twins reside here on the top floor in Room 17.

Keyaki High School
Keyaki High, though smaller in size in the other schools in the city, generally turns out higher calibre students and outperforms the other schools, most notably their fierce academic rival Tsutsuji Academy in overall performance. The only school to beat them in grade averages is Sugi Private Academy. In recent years, they have shifted their focus to even further accommodate Stand User students, as these students make up the bulk of their population and overcrowding has started to become a problem. This school is located in the midwestern end of the city.

The grounds are small but host a swimming pool, full sized track, and a single baseball diamond.

The students here wear dark navy gakuran/tsume-eri with a small logo on each article of clothing for identification. There are bands of colour on the cuffs and the toes of the shoe. First years wear red, second years wear blue, and third years wear purple.

Tsutsuji Academy
Tsutsuji Academy is much larger than Keyaki High School, and is located in the Northern end of the city nestled against a lush tree line on a street block. They are slightly more expensive as a school option, and though their students do not test quite as well as Keyaki or Sugi students, they are more accommodating to non-Stand Users. The class selection here is also very broad, so students are presented with the biggest variety of opportunity here and are typically watched closely by multiple prospective universities due to the wide array of talents that students here pick up. They have a rather impressive line up of students entering the school this year, so it's to be seen if they will remain third best forever.

The grounds are lush with gardens and trees, though the courtyards are all packed dirt rather than stone or brick. There is even a small fountain in the centre of the front courtyard. The school grounds feature a modest indoor pool, a full sized track, one baseball diamond, and a separate School Board office. Their building is the biggest amongst the four high schools.

The students here wear dark red gakuran/tsume-eri with a small logo on each article of clothing for identification. There are bands of colour on the cuffs and the toes of the shoe. First years wear yellow, second years wear blue, and third years wear green.

Sugi Private School
The smallest school in Kōwan, Sugi Private School is notorious for requiring excellent marks, especially in the Sciences to enter, as well as being a pricey option. They are nestled within a beautiful forest on a semi-rural road in Southern Kōwan, and wildlife like deer, raccoons, and multiple species of birds can be seen roaming the campus from time to time, though students are urged to leave them be. This school sees many foreign exchange students, and has wonderful opportunities for special extra-curricular clubs like wildlife survival, belaying, hiking and more! Their territory in southern Kōwan is large, but this is mostly due to the slightly remote area not being contested by the other three schools rather than due to sheer Stand strength.

The students here are often teased for being bookish or shut-ins due to the school also offering dormitories on campus, but they are anything but, usually being the quirkest students in town. Their grounds feature a large greenhouse that students are encouraged to grow their own plants in, a student shop selling a variety of school and outdoor equipment and food for dormitories, a small strip of tiny stores for students to shop in within the school, and an impressive observatory dome with an impressive optical reflecting telescope.

The students here wear forest green gakuran/long sailor fuku that are modest and harken back to the 1920’s, covering down to the mid calf. They have a surprising amount of pockets on both variations of uniform. Only their jacket/sweater have a school logo for identification. There are bands of colour on the cuffs and the toes of the shoe. First years wear light green, second years wear light orange, and third years wear light blue.

Hanashobu High School
Out of every school in Kōwan-shi limits, Hanashobu is the most ‘average’, with a moderately low Stand User population and a strong focus on sports. They are located in the grassy, rolling Western Kōwan hills. High grades are not needed for entry, so many kids from this school are seen by students from rival academies as ‘thuggish’ or ‘stupid’, but they are far from either. They have only two Control Professors on campus to teach Stand Users, who work together to teach Stand Users from each of the three years at once. The bond between students at this school is remarkably strong.

Their grounds include two baseball diamonds, the most impressive basketball court within the four schools, a fully sized and student friendly gymnasium to promote fitness, an Olypmic sized outdoor swimming pool, a modest indoor swimming pool, a full-sized track, two soccer fields and four tennis courts. A small shop is on campus that specialises in school supplies and sports equipment.

The dress code here is much more lax than in the other schools, with only a school issued lilac sweater vest with a school emblem for identification must be worn, thinly lined near the collar with the student’s yearly colour to further signify their place at the school. The undershirt and pants, though encouraged to be a dress shirt and trousers or a skirt, isn’t strictly enforced as long as clothes aren’t unsightly in their state of uncleaniness or damage. First years wear pink, second years wear mint green, and third years wear indigo.

The third piece of the password is 'best', you're so close, keep reading on!