SHŌGUNATE JAPAN - EXPLORATION AGE CIVILIZATION
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I'll start by admitting that I am in no way an expert on Japanese history. My primary motivation for making this concept was my interest in creating a civ with a mechanic that can achieve economic victory in the Homelands, as Mongolia can achieve a domination victory. Japan's isolationism under Tokugawa seemed an ideal candidate for this, so I got to work. However, this concept doesn't just represent Edo Japan. If it did, it would be named "Edo Japan." The idea here is to let the player play through a bit of the changes in Japan from the first Shōgunate to Tokugawa, starting with militarizing to take control of the Homelands before turtling down and focusing on controlling and developing your empire. The concept also slightly favors a few Cities-many Towns dynamic for your Settlements, in reference to the powerful Capital of Edo supported by a network of feudal lords.
Sakoku: Cannot establish Trade Routes with other Civilizations, and other Civilizations cannot establish Trade Routes with Shōgunate Japan. Gain duplicates of Resources improved in the Homelands. Gain a Victory Point towards the Treasure Fleets Legacy Path for each copy of a given Resource over the amount that any other Civilization has.
One goal I had when making this ability was to ensure you still had your eyes on other player's movements on some level, rather than just playing solitaire. The Victory Points being dependent on your control of Homeland resources compared to other civs means that you have to actively maintain your monopoly, using military force or diplomacy to discourage settlements in the areas in the Homelands most similar to your empire. This mechanic means that a neighboring civ taking a nearby settling location is an even greater threat to your victory than usual, encouraging a playstyle that is both isolationist and aggressive. Not a neighbor whose toes you want to step on!
Bushidō
- Tier 1: Increased Settlement Capacity. Infantry units have reduced Combat Strength penalty for low health.
- Tradition - Ashigaru: +5% Gold towards purchasing Infantry Units for every Settlement.
- Tier 2: Commanders gain additional movement when in a formation.
- Tradition - Kiri-Sute Gomen: Conquered Settlements gain additional Happiness.
In service of the gameplay path of conquering the resource-homogenous parts of your Homeland and then turtling down, the first available civic is a military one, with city development civics coming later. Bushidō was the moral code of Samurai, and while I'm not a fan of basing civ designs on pop culture, it is very well known. It was formalized during the Edo period, so if it's referenced, it makes more sense here than with Meiji or Yamato. Researching it reinforces discipline in your Civilization, granting increased capacity for governance and increasing the endurance of your Samurai. Ashigaru were less experienced soldiers than the samurai, who were nonetheless called upon when numbers were needed. Having them in your empire therefore makes it easier to quickly rally Infantry the bigger your empire is.
Depending on how your plan for early conquest goes and how quickly, you might want to move on to the civics to develop your cities or dive further into the civic development related to your army. If you do so, your Samurai become even better trained, and new military formations and extensive practice of them make organized armies quicker. Kiri-Sute Gomen refers to the right of Samurai to cut down civilians who disrespect them, and it is unlocked by increasing the importance of Samurai in your society. Happiness as a yield seems to more generally represent "loyalty," so mandating respect towards your military means that conquered settlements will be conditioned to follow your rule.
Bakuhan
- Tier 1: Increased Settlement Capacity. Happiness on Improved Resources in Towns. Unlocks the Jin’ya building. Unlocks the Chōnin-Chi building.
- Tradition - Sankin Kōtai: Can purchase all Buildings in Towns.
Bakuhan is the internal development civic, named for a governance system of the Tokugawa Shōgunate (it was Tokugawa's ability in Civ VI, as well.) The system divided power between the
Bakufu, the military government of the Shōgun, and individual
Han, provinces led by local leaders. This division of power lightens the load of the Capital in terms of governance, and thus increases Settlement Capacity, and makes it easier to keep a handle on Towns that are contributing to your economic victory. The two buildings will be explained in full in their own section, but they are unlocked here because they relate to administration and organization of territories. Sankin Kōtai was a system in which the leaders of individual Han were required to switch between living in their Han and living in the Capital every year, to keep them under tighter control. This Tradition is unlocked here because it is tied to the Bakuhan system, and the greater control of the leaders of the places that support your capital (Towns in Civ VII terms) gives you greater control of the district planning in your Towns.
Ōedo
- Tier 1: Additional Culture on Quarters.
- Tradition - Kokugaku: Additional Culture and Science on Happiness Buildings.
The last Civic, unlocked after innovation in your military and governance, references the appreciation of culture and the arts arising in the Edo period. Your developed districts, conquered and built with the help of previous civics, now give you additional Culture. An increased focus on the arts and learning unlocks Kokugaku, a reference to a cultural movement that began in the Edo period.
Jin’ya: Unique Gold Building. No base yield. Additional Gold for each Rural District in this Settlement.
Jin'ya were government headquarters from which provinces were governed during the Tokugawa Shōgunate. They were also centers for the system of tax collection, hence their ability here. They have little use in a heavily urban area, but generate a large amount of gold in productive towns.
Chōnin-Chi: Unique Happiness Building. Specialists in this Settlement have reduced Happiness cost.
Chōnin-Chi were districts in which members of the Chōnin social class lived in castle towns. The Chōnin class was composed of merchants and craftsmen, but not farmers. In civ VII terms, that means Specialists! In Settlements mostly filled with Rural Districts, a Chōnin-Chi isn't really necessary, but it can give you better control of Chōnin in a City with many of them.
Jōkamachi: Unique Quarter. Creates Walls and a free Infantry Unit when built.
Jōkamachi were castle towns from which Daimyō, local leaders, ruled. The logic here is that by creating a Quarter with both a Jin'ya and a Chōnin-Chi, you create the infastructure for local governance. As such, a Daimyō is able to move in and fortify the area with a castle and their Samurai. From a gameplay perspective, this means that with the Bakuhan civic you can invest a decent chunk of gold and a bit of your government to quickly create a defensible military presence in any Settlement. In your first "phase," domination, this Quarter can be used to keep up your push. In the second "phase," isolationist empire building, the Jōkamachi you built earlier can discourage attacks, and new ones can be built to quickly defend a Settlement against oncoming attack.
Samurai: Unique Infantry Unit. Increased Combat Strength when in range of a Commander. Adds Happiness to a Quarter with a Fortification when Garrisoned in it.
The Samurai also reflects the two "phases" of play for Shōgunate Japan. They have increased power during coordinated attacks, inspired by their unique military formations, which is a generally good bonus for your initial assaults. When you're satisfied with your holdings, they provide Happiness to the cities they garrison, inspired by their role as retainers. This also fits the change in their roles throughout the Shōgunates: at first active combatants, and then later retainers who practiced Bushidō in peacetime.
Fudasashi: Unique Unit that replaces the Merchant. Can only be Purchased in Towns. Use on a City to initiate a Growth Event in the City and add a resource slot to any Gold Buildings in the City or origin Town. Constructs a Road between the target City and origin Town if none is present.
Because Merchants who control foreign trade are made useless by the Sakoku UA, the concept requires a Merchant replacement with something else to do. Fudasashi (Rice Brokers) were figures who controlled the flow of rice, especially during the Edo period. Rice was the primary income of Daimyō and rice output was used to judge the value of settlements, and as such Rice Brokers garnered a large amount of economic power, sometimes being considered the forerunners of Japan's banking system. They would rent rice storage to Daimyō, manage rice transportation across the country, and handle loans. Thus, their ability here creates Resource storage, connects Settlements, and causes Growth in a City through creating an "internal trade route" between a Rural and Urban area.
Himeji Castle: Walled Quarters gain Culture and Happiness in this City. Garrisoned units in this City gain additional Combat Strength. Must be built on flat land adjacent to a Quarter.
Returning to the series, Himeji Castle can supercharge a heavily fortified City. Dedication to the construction of fortifications makes fortifications stronger in the City it is built in, and the cultural and folkloric significance of the structure adds Culture and Happiness to the city's fortifications. It has some light synergy with the fortified UQ and Samurai.
While Shōgunate Japan has a clear "intended" gameplan, conquer Settlements that compete for monopolies over Homeland resources and then turn to internal development, it still has a good amount of versatility. The amount of Happiness bonuses can let you expand past the Settlement Cap, further conquering the Homelands or even turning to an assault on the Distant Lands for a Non Sufficit Orbis victory. There are also a decent amount of bonuses for Buildings and Specialists between the Chōnin-Chi and Jin'ya buildings, Ōedo Civic, Samurai garrison bonuses, and Himeji Castle, which makes the Enlightenment a good secondary goal if you ever find yourself turtling.
- Capital of the Oyo Empire for most of its existence, today also known as Old Oyo 
(with it being based on the Veve of Ògún)
