Toshi Ranbo, once a minor castle quarreled over by the Lion and Crane, is in the year 1500 of the Imperial Calendar the largest city in the Empire, a sprawling metropolis of almost 20,000 residents. It has grown far beyond the walls which were built around it during the early years of the Toturi Dynasty, many of which survive only as architechtural curiosities. In an era of peace, prosperity, and security, few have seen any need to build new walls outside the vastly expanded city.

At the center of Toshi Ranbo lies the Imperial Palace itself, a massive walled compound, home to the Emperor and his family. Access to the Palace compound is carefully controlled by the Imperial Guard, and elaborate wards and spiritual protections have been laid upon it. The Kaiu engineers who built it also made sure to seal off any tunnels beneath the Palace, mindful of how those allowed enemies into the old capital of Otosan Uchi.

Immediately adjacent to the Imperial Palace is the so-called Old City, a walled complex built on the lands of the original fortress-city of Toshi Ranbo. The castle which traded hands between Lion and Crane so many times is now renamed Shiro Okite, the Castle of Law, and houses the offices of the Emerald Champion, along with the Imperial Guard who protect the city. Other buildings within the Old City include the residences of the Imperial families (Seppun, Otomo, and Miya), the Monkey and Tortoise Clan embassies, the Imperial Guard's garrison barracks, the Imperial libraries, and similar such facilities.

Surrounding the Palace and the Old City alike is the New City, a sprawling expanse of urban territory which is home to most of the population. The most prestigious part of the New City is the Noble District, located between the Old City and the Drowned Merchant River. Here can be found the embassies of the various Clans, as well as the private homes of many wealthy and influential samurai. The few businesses located in this district are high-quality establishments which cater to the needs of wealthy samurai.

Adjacent to the Noble District is the Temple District, where scores of temples great and small are maintained by the Brotherhood of Shinsei. The three greatest temples in the city venerate the Seven Fortunes, the eight founding Kami of the Empire, and Shinsei himself.

Surrounding the Noble and Temple Districts is the far larger Merchant District, home to the vast buld of the city population. Although this part of the city is much more crowded and lower-class, it is kept clean and orderly, and the city as a whole is free of crime, dirt, or disturbance. The city's large, famous, and highly successful Licensed Quarter is located within the Merchant District.

Adjacent to the Merchant District is the Docks District, located along the shores of the Drowned Merchant River, where hundreds of piers serve the countless trade ships and barges which travel here from all over the Empire.

The Drowned Merchant River is spanned by three bridges. From east to west, these are the Bridge of Imperial Glory, the Bridge of Final Dedication, and the Bridge of Neccessity (also known as the Unavoidable Bridge). Across the Bridge of Neccessity is the city's Eta District, carefully isolated by water from the more respectible inhabitants.

Last but by no means least, within the Merchant District (but conveniently close to the Noble District) is the city's most infamous locale: the Foreign Zone, where the ambassadors from the Thrane, Senpet, and Ivory Kingdoms stay with their staffs. The Foreign Zone is surrounded by a high wall with only a single gate, and access is carefully supervised by the Imperial Guard. The gaijin who live within the walls are allowed to follow their own customs and build their own structures (although gunpowder remains strictly forbidden), but when they enter the larger city they must sign in and out with the Imperial Guard, and any delinquent visitor will be quickly hunted down and arrested.