The Matriarchy of Shigure is a huge, socially progressive nation, remarkable for its national health service, otherworldly petting zoo, and irreverence towards religion. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 904 million Shigure-tachi are effectively ruled by a group of massive corporations, who run for political office and provide their well-off citizens with world-class goods and services. Their poorer citizens, however, are mostly starving to death while being urged to go out and get real jobs. The populace has reasonably extensive civil rights, although these are mostly aimed at allowing them to buy whatever they like.

The relatively small, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Healthcare, Industry, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of La Soleil. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 15.7%.

The powerhouse Shigurean economy, worth 53.6 trillion suzus a year, is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Gambling, Tourism, and Book Publishing. Average income is 59,261 suzus, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 176,204 per year while the poor average 15,626, a ratio of 11.3 to 1.

Refugees from other nations are flocking to Shigure's border, formerly fertile fields are being leached dry of nutrients by intensive farming, former school buses now regularly shuttle kids to the nearest shopping centers to work, and Shigure has designated La Soleil as its capital city. Crime is moderate. Shigure's national animal is the neko, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Shigure is ranked 149,017^th in the world and 5,870^th in Balder for Highest Food Quality, scoring 15.67 on the Meeshlin-Starr Index.