Winter court

The term "Winter Court" is generally applied to any extended court that a member of Rokugani nobility holds for the duration of winter. It is considered a time of great political opportunity, as well as a place where those of all walks of life can demonstrate their skill and ability.

Background
Winter in Rokugan is an extremely harsh time of year, with freezing temperatures, strong winds, and large amounts of snowfall. It is customary for many people to gather together for the winter under one roof, and share the resources needed to survive the season.

For the aristocracy of the Empire, this situation has traditionally been an excuse for a noble to invite guests from all over Rokugan to spend the winter with them at their own personal estates. These guests often bring small retinues with them to help them in the event of some difficulty or emergency.

But these dignitaries are not the only ones to be invited to attend a winter court. Artisans and performers of many kinds are brought to winter court to provide a noble's guests with leisure activities to pass the time. Naturally, the greatest of these entertainers (such as the Kakita artisans, or the Shiba illusionists) are in great demand, and often must be lured with many expensive gifts and favors.

The Imperial Winter Court
Traditionally, the Imperial Court under the Hantei dynasty would select a different location each winter to hold their own winter court. This was considered an enormous honor, not to mention a amazing opportunity: the host would personally have the ear of the Emperor for the entire winter.

It is unclear in current fiction if the Toturi dynasty has continued this tradition, but there is no clear indication that it would not still be in effect.

Politics
Courtiers tend to come into their own during winter court. With months to spend building up relations with the other dignitaries, a courtier can easily forge enormous political power for their clan, and themselves. They not only have time to address clan interests (which is ideally what they are there to handle), but can frequently work in some personal advantage or gain.

Competitions
Winter court often sees a great deal of challenges. There are games of go, shogi, kemari, and sadane, which are common in courts throughout Rokugan. Bushi often engage in all manner of contests of skill, such as target-shooting, displays of swordsmanship, wrestling, and various athletic contests (like races). Even shugenja enjoy the odd display of magic to determine which one is more skilled in their arts than others.