The Meiji era has just begun. Japan has reestablished trade relations with the West, and the sleepy fishing village of Yokohama has become the country’s premier trading hub. Goods such as copper and raw silk are pouring out of Yokohama, while foreign technology and culture is slowly trickling in. Modernization is beginning to take hold in Japan and Yokohama’s merchants are spearheading the change. In Yokohama, players act as merchants, vying to gain fame through successful business ventures which include collecting trade goods, learning about new technology and developing the city’s shops and trading houses. To find new business, players must roam the streets of Yokohama in search of profitable opportunities.