Gensokyo (幻想郷, literally Illusion Village or Fantasy Village) is the fictional land that the entire Touhou series takes place in. The culture vaguely resembles that of feudal Japan, with a lot of folktale elements added on.

Gensokyo was originally a desolate, haunted region of Japan ages ago. The youkai that lived there began to terrorize the surrounding lands, and thus powerful, heroic humans were sent to exorcise and exterminate them. The off and on battle between humans and youkai continued on until 1884 A.D., when Gensokyo was sealed off from this increasingly scientific and skeptical world with the creation of the Hakurei Border. There has been little contact between our societies ever since. Today, the only known gateway between Gensokyo and this world is the Hakurei Shrine, which stands in isolation along the border on distant mountains of the far east.

Gensokyo is populated mainly by youkai, but a decent human and rabbit population lives there as well. Some of its inhabitants went there to hide, to escape, to find shelter when no one and nowhere else would accept them. Many of them just like the natural darkness.

The Gensokyo calendar dates from its sealing in 1884, and is based on the phase of the moon- due to calendar drift, it runs approximately two months earlier then ours.

Month names

Gensokyo uses the traditional names of the Japanese months, from the old lunar calendar. In outside Japan, these were discarded in favor of simple numbered months (ichigatsu, nigatsu, etc.) with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, but are still commonplace in poetry and historical television. For flavor, they have been literally translated in the Bohemian Archive articles.

• April - 卯月 uzuki, Deutzia Month
• May - 皐月 satsuki, Planting Month
• June - 水無月 minazuki, Waterless Month
• July - 文月 fuzuki, Book Month
• August - 葉月 hazuki, Leaf Month
• September - 長月 nagatsuki, Long-lasting Month
• October - 神無月 kannazuki, Godless Month
• November - 霜月 shimotsuki, Frost Month
• December - 師走 shiwasu, Priest-running Month
• January - 睦月 mutsuki, Affection Month
• February - 如月 or 衣更着 kisaragi, More Clothes Month
• March - 弥生 yayoi, Sprouting Month

New Year's in Gensokyo is on the 1st of the Deutzia Month.