For much of history, Oiku is a fairly ordinary town known chiefly for being home to Jin Seido, one of the seven shrines to Bushido. This shrine espouses the virtue of Compassion, and while the Lion do not ignore this virtue, it is not by any means the most revered tenet in Lion philosophy. As such, it is served by no more than a dozen monks at any given time, usually old retired bushi who have seen too much bloodshed in their lifetimes.
More recently, the city of Oiku has transformed into what is probably the most prestigious assignment in Akodo lands, since it serves as a staging point for the constant give-and-take conflict with the Crane at Toshi Ranbo.