SPOILERS WARNING: Liminal Chronicles Series: Guardian (Book 2)
SPOILERS WARNING: Liminal Chronicles Series: TITLE TBD (Book 3)
A sanctuary for all
Yokai seeking refuge from the insanity of modern life and the migration of humans to large cities. Like the human population, yokai don't want to stand out too much. Having to constantly hide by concealing one's nature is draining and discouraging for many of the supernatural folk.
Many outside of the district consider it a lawless territory, but that's not quite true.
The Sumichou Freezone, formerly known as simply
Sumichou, is as much an organization as it is a location, tucked away in caverns and abandoned subway lines under
Kabukicho. The residents felt they needed a name change after the overthrow of the repressive
Akumakai.
Keep in mind, the district will never be "respectable" by human and
League of Guardians standards. The
Flowers and Swords Prostitution Ward still flourishes. Gambling parlors focusing on particularly unsavory bets (like how long it takes for yokai fish to devour a carcass) continue to draw customers. And darker happenings...
Though to its credit, the area no longer depends on stolen
ki. Because most residents were forced to live on very little of the magical energy and conserve its use for spells, when ki flowed freely again they were instantly powerful ki masters.
Application for Sanctuary
Supernatural folk may apply for residency inside the freezone district. Priority is given to formerly revered kami whose human population betrayed them by abandoning them for the larger city life.
Distrust of the League
After the fall of the
Akumakai, the citizens were wary of another power having so much control over them again. Despite the protests of the
League of Guardians, they declared themselves a freezone.
by Freepik
has been hidden from the Japanese government from its founding, so this wasn't a big stretch. And the League hasn't had direct access in decades, due to a mistake by Kabukichou's
Guardian sixty years ago. But when the head of the
Sumichou Underground told
Soujou-bou that the League required permission to enter the district it was a slap in the face.
Considering that the Underground feels the League did nothing to help until the Underground pretty much had things under control on their own, it's a concession from their standpoint. From the League's point of view, every agent they sent in was killed by the Akumakai or defected, so the district should submit to their oversight.
Only two League members have earned the right to remain for longer than a week at a time, though they can't stay indefinitely. There's a long way to go for diplomacy between the two groups.
The District's Strengths and Challenges
Self Sufficiency
For an underground city, Sumichou values self-sufficiency. The city government vowed to invest in making the district unreliant on the outside world. A few of the ways they're living up to their word include the following.
Providing grow lights for rooftop gardens
Funding legitimate business startups (Considering how deep many residents were in the criminal underground, the application process is harshly scrutinized.)
Demolishing, detoxifying, and purifying the abandoned Crystal Row factories 
by umanceneng
Industry and Trade
Quite a few of the long term residents now take on students, teaching them to maximize their ki in magic. All for a hefty fee, of course.
by Freepik
A few of the emerging industries are tourism focused on the historic rebellion (museums, tours, and art galleries), specialty services for supernaturals (maintaining an incorporeal form for
yuurei, clothing in sizes beyond human scale, enchanted weapons (legal and illegal in Japan), and consulting for yokai adjusting to life independent of humans.
Trade with the outside world is still in its infancy. The city government insists that products to and from the outside must go through the district customs office. But the blackmarket manages to bypass it more often than not.
Legal goods that seem to be growing in popularity are charms (with the promise of a spirit to help in times of need)
by Freepik
in exchange for cash or other "services" to be discussed and bartered for, magical plants (that need air from above ground to get a good start and gain their spirit) which only go to approved nurseries, and historic artifacts.
Sumichou Freezone's Future
The fast growing district has challenges ahead. There is only so much room in the caverns and there's a limit to how many more can be excavated before the area under Kabukichou becomes unstable.
by Freepik
But is it wise to sponsor similar areas in Japan? Will the balance of harmony in the country be thrown off if the entire yokai population moves underground and abandons humanity?
Oooo, this looks like a really interesting place. I like their gumption with their insistence on remaining a freezone. (The colour on the comment box text is hard to read. Might want to change it to white.)
Thank you! And the comment box text color is updated now. Thanks for letting me know!