Japanese (Age of Empires IV)

This article is about the civilization in Age of Empires IV: The Sultans Ascend. For other uses, see Japanese.

Civilization

Technology tree

Mastery

Civilization

Technology tree

Mastery

Japanese
Civilization
Civilization information
Introduced in	Age of Empires IV: The Sultans Ascend
Continent	Asia
In-game theme
Difficulty	2/3
Timeframe	794-1616 CE
Features/Characteristics
Focus	Agriculture, bannermen, infantry
Unique units	See Unique units
Unique technologies	22 - See Unique technologies
Unique buildings	See Unique buildings

“	The Japanese have access to several unique units such as Samurai, Shinobi, Bannermen, and the Onna-Musha, as well as some dual-purpose buildings, and powerful Daimyo upgrades for their Town Center.	”
—

The Japanese are a playable Asian civilization in Age of Empires IV: The Sultans Ascend.

Their variant civilization is the Sengoku Daimyo.

The Japanese also appear in Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings and Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties with the same name, and as Yamato in Age of Empires.

Civilization overview

“	The Japanese are a new civilization available with The Sultans Ascend Expansion for Age of Empires IV. The Japanese civilization introduces the new Daimyo system, allowing you to upgrade the Town Center to a Daimyo Manor, and eventually a Shogunate Castle, that comes with powerful defenses while also bolstering food production from nearby farms. Advancing the Daimyo level also unlocks access to Samurai Bannermen, special units that provide significant combat bonuses to units around them. Embrace espionage by fielding the unique Shinobi, capable of blending in with enemy Villagers and sabotaging production from behind enemy lines. The Japanese civilization begin Age 1 with multi-purpose buildings that offer unique options for early strategy and are excellent at producing Fishing Ships quickly. They focus on localized economy supported by Daimyo from Town Centers. Once upgraded into a Daimyo Manor, villagers working farms in the surrounding area will receive a large bonus and Samurai Bannermen become available to produce. A vast roster of infantry, primarily focused on the Samurai, defend the territory and lead the battle with Samurai Bannermen. Bannermen support infantry and cavalry with attack bonuses and the Samurai offer excellent front-line support with their Deflective Armor, an ability which periodically blocks attacks.	”
—

Civilization bonuses

• Daimyo: Town Centers can be upgraded into special buildings called the Daimyo Manor, Daimyo Palace, and Shogunate Castle sequentially. Respectively, these buildings:
  • Increase the gather rate from Farms of nearby Villagers by 20%, 40%, 60%,
  • Increase the capacity of Samurai Bannerman by +1, +2, +3,
  • Grant +1000 hit points each and add an extra projectile
• Hatamoto Samurai: Field elite melee infantry, ranged infantry, and cavalry Samurai Bannermen that provide +15% bonus damage to nearby units of the same type. Bannermen Samurai drop their banners when killed, providing the same effect for a duration.
• Farmhouse & Forge: The Forge is a Gold and Stone drop-off and replaces the Mining Camp and Blacksmith. Additionally, it provides an extra melee damage technology in the Dark Age (I).
• Calm of Mind: Produce Samurai in the Dark Age (I). Samurai have the Deflective Armor ability which can periodically block melee or ranged attacks.
• Oda's Fortress: Access a more powerful Keep (called Castle) in the Imperial Age (IV) that comes with increased health and Rocket Emplacements for a higher cost. Rockets attack quickly and deal massive damage to single targets.
• Silver Mining: 20% of Gold dropped-off is received as bonus Stone, and vice versa.
• Religious Choice: Select between Shinto and Buddhism with your choice of Age III Landmark. If choosing Shinto, you unlock the Shinto Priest. If choosing Buddhism, you unlock the Buddhist Monk. These religious units offer unique bonuses.
• Fishing Village: Fishing Boats cost -25% (56 wood).
• Samurai Districts: Barracks cost -50% wood*

Starting resources

200 food, 150 wood, 100 gold

Unique units

• Yumi Ashigaru - Replacement for the Archer.
• Shinobi - Light melee infantry unit that disguises itself as enemy Villagers, sabotaging enemy structures and using clever smoke bombs to reappear in new locations.
• Onna-Musha - Unique Horse Archer specializing in taking down heavily armored units with its high damage, mobility, and longer weapon range. Replaces the Crossbowman.
• Onna-Bugeisha - Unique light infantry which is fast and has longer weapon reach, but is ineffective against heavily armored enemies.
• Ozutsu - Heavy ranged gunpowder unit equipped with a handheld cannon. The Ozutsu excel at sieging enemy buildings and destroying groups of units clumped up in an area by dealing Area of Effect damage.
• Shinto Priest - Unlocked from the Floating Gate landmark, they are able to place sacred objects called Yorishiro in buildings to achieve special bonuses.
• Buddhist Monk - Unlocked from the Temple of Equality landmark, they can weaken enemy damage output and solidify the player's position on the field.
• Treasure Caravan - Can traverse land or water to trade at any Trade Post.
• Atakebune - Unique warship that is armed with rockets.

Samurai units

“

Samurai units negate incoming ranged damage with a deflective armor charge. Blaze into battle and overwhelm your opponents!

”

• Samurai - Replacement for the Man-at-Arms, these melee infantry offer excellent front-line support with their Deflective Armor, an ability which periodically blocks attacks. Available from the Dark Age.
• Mounted Samurai - Replacement for the Lancer, these melee cavalry offer excellent front-line support with their Deflective Armor, an ability which periodically blocks attacks.

Samurai Bannermen

• Katana Bannerman - Increases attack of nearby melee infantry by +15%.
• Yumi Bannerman - Increases attack of nearby ranged infantry by +15%.
• Uma Bannerman - Increases attack of nearby mounted units by +15%.

Unique buildings

• Farmhouse - Dark Age building that acts as both a Mill and a House and should be constructed around Berry Bushes for when Sheep run low.
• Forge - Dark Age building that acts as both a Mining Camp and a Blacksmith and contains an extra tier of melee damage technology available in the Dark Age.
• Shinto Shrine (requires Floating Gate) - Unique Monastery which can train Shinto Priests.
• Buddhist Temple (requires Temple of Equality) - Unique Monastery which can train Buddhist Monks.
• Castle - Imperial Age unique Keep with powerful rocket emplacement.

Unique technologies

• Odachi - Equips Samurai with an Odachi, a long sword that deals +4 bonus damage against infantry. (Barracks)
• Nagae Yari - Equips Spearmen with a stronger spear that increases weapon range by +20% and damage against cavalry by +15%. (Barracks)
• Kabura-ya Whistling Arrow - Grants ability to Onna-Musha: Fire a whistling arrow when an enemy is detected, increases move speed for 10 seconds. (Archery Range)
• Do-maru Armor - Mounted Samurai move 10% faster as long as their Deflective Armor charge is full. (Stable)
• Oda Tactics - Increases the health and damage of melee infantry by 15%, and torch damage of melee infantry by 20%. (University)
• Copper Plating - Improves the fire armor and ranged armor of ships. (Dock)

Technologies at the Farmhouse

These technologies replace Wheelbarrow and the standard food gathering upgrades (Horticulture, Fertilization, Precision Cross-Breeding)

• Tawara - Increases the carry capacity of Villagers by +3, movement speed by +7%, and grant +25% gather rate from Berry Bushes. (1/3)
• Takezaiku - Increases the carry capacity of Villagers by +3, movement speed by +7%, and grant +25% gather rate from Berry Bushes. (2/3)
• Fudasashi - Increases the carry capacity of Villagers by +3, movement speed by +7%, and grant +25% gather rate from Berry Bushes. (3/3)

Technologies at the Forge

These technologies replace the standard melee damage upgrades (Bloomery, Decarbonization, Damascus Steel) and cost gold and stone instead of gold and food:

• Tatara - Dark Age research. Melee damage +1
• Hizukuri - Feudal Age research. Melee damage +1
• Kobuse-gitae - Castle Age research. Melee damage +1
• Yaki-ire - Imperial Age research. Melee damage +1

Technologies at the Buddhist Temple

• Zen - Buddhist Monks generate +25 gold every 60 seconds
• Nehan - Upgrades Buddhist Conversion to Nehan Conversion, which has 25% shorter cooldown and additionally improves nearby allied units' movement speed by +25% when cast
• Five Mountain Ministries - Buddhist Temples automatically cast Sohai's Sutra on a nearby enemy every 6 seconds

Technologies at the Shinto Shrine

• Shinto Rituals - Increases the Shinto Priest's healing rate by +60%, health by +40, and move speed by +15%
• Gion Festival - All buildings gain +2 Line of Sight. Every 3 minutes all economic units heal for 100% of their max health over 3 seconds
• Bunrei - Increases the maximum number of Yorishiro by +2. Immediately spawns 2 Yorishiro at the Floating Gate

Town Center upgrades

The Town Center for the Japanese can be upgraded to the following buildings, with each upgrade providing +1 Villager, +1,000 hit points to Town Centers, and casts a Daimyo Farm Aura which enhances nearby Villagers' harvest rate from Farms by 20% additively. Each upgrade takes 20 seconds.

• Daimyo Manor - Costs 175 stone. +1 limit to Samurai Bannermen. Additionally adds another arrowslit.
• Daimyo Palace - Costs 600 stone. +2 limit to Samurai Bannermen. Additionally adds +2 fire armor.
• Shogunate Castle - Costs 1,200 stone. +3 limit to Samurai Bannermen. Additionally adds +3 fire armor, and equips a rocket emplacement.

Landmarks

Dark Age

• Koka Township - Allows training of Shinobi.
• Kura Storehouse - Serves as a drop-off location for all resources, can garrison units, and contains all economic technologies available at the Farmhouse, Forge, and Lumber Camp. Periodically generates free Farms in the surrounding area. When Farms can no longer be created, the Storehouse generates Wood instead.

Feudal Age

• Floating Gate - Allows training Shinto Priests, and unlocks the Shinto Shrine, which contains unique technologies. Periodically produces Shinto Priests holding a Yorishiro, including one when constructed.
• Temple of Equality - Acts as a Buddhist Temple. Allows training Buddhist Monks, and unlocks the Buddhist Temple, which contains unique technologies.

Castle Age

• Castle of the Crow - Acts as a Castle. Periodically generates Treasure Caravans from neutral Trade Posts, which deliver a shipment of all resources.
• Tanegashima Gunsmith - Can train various gunpowder units, including the Ozutsu and the Ribauldequin. Produces "stockpiles" every 30 seconds, which can be used to instantly produce units at no cost.

History

“	In Age of Empires IV, the Japanese civilization spans the late 8th century CE to the early 17th century CE. Collapse of imperial power has separated the Japanese into small kingdoms, ruled by warlords, to ultimately be re-unified by a bloody civil war. During this period the Daimyo employed the Samurai to defend their territories by paying them with goods, such as land and food.	”
—

In-game dialogue

• Pronunciation - Units only use Modern Japanese pronunciation. It does not change across ages.
• Grammar - A mix of Classical Japanese verb conjugation and modern grammar with archaic tropes (e.g. じゃ copula). It does not consistently change across ages.
• Vocabulary - Late Middle Japanese and Early Modern Japanese vocabulary replaces some common terms. Dark Age dialogues try to avoid Sino-Japanese vocabulary.

Changelog

• Originally, Japanese Fishing Boats were 40% cheaper. With patch 12.2.3327, they are 25% cheaper.
• With patch 12.2.3327, Japanese Barracks cost -50%.

Trivia

• The Japanese flag contains the Kikumon, symbol of the Japanese Royal Family, used since 1183.
• Japanese Farms harvest rice, instead of wheat like other civilizations. In reality, Japanese farmers have been growing wheat while waiting between rice harvests as far as 715 A.D.
• As of patch 9.2.628, the Japanese have the most unique technologies of any civilization with 22, beating the previous record holder, the Abbasid Dynasty, with 18.
• Including the Yamato civilization, the Japanese appear in all games in the Age of Empires series except in Age of Mythology.
• The time span of the Japanese civilization begins at 794, which is the beginning of the Heian period, and ends at 1616, the death of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
  • The Heian period is considered part of classical Japan, rather than medieval Japan where it starts at Kamakura period in 1185 when Japan established their feudal system. However, the Heian period was considered the golden age of Japanese history where they established their own unique culture away from Chinese influence, making the start date justifiable.

Gallery

A Japanese city

Another view of the Japanese city

A Forge

The Kura Storehouse landmark

Two Shinobis

The Floating Gate landmark

The Tanegashima Gunsmith landmark

An Onna-Musha

Mounted and Unmounted Samurai Bannermen

Some Ozutsus (center)

Mounted Samurai concept art

The Japanese Wonder is visible in the distance at the top of the image

Some Scouts and a Zen decoration near the building