Rukongai

, also known as the Rukon District in the English Dub, is the largest portion of Soul Society and the most populated. It is divided into 320 districts (80 in North Rukongai, 80 in West Rukongai, etc.), each numbered in descending order on how far they are from the center; this results in the higher-numbered (and farther) districts decaying into slums. Thus, while District 1 is peaceful and lawful, much like the antiseptic lifestyle of early-Edo Era Kyoto, District 80 is a hardscrabble, violent, crime-infested area that more depicts Heian era Kyoto. There is no indication that the Shinigami or any other agencies patrol the streets of Rukongai (though there is some form of organized crime, has seen during the Bount arc), and as a result, the citizenry are mainly responsible for their day-to-day welfare. Shinigami, such as Rangiku Matsumoto, have however, been seen to travel among the districts of Rukongai, which seem to have many shops or market stalls offering goods for sale.



101 years ago, many souls in Rukongai mysteriously vanished due to the experiments of Sōsuke Aizen. These occurrences continued for about a month before the Shinigami sent Kensei Muguruma and a team from the 9th Division to investigate. The Vizard were Hollowified in a forest in the west of the 6th ward of the Fugai District on the same that the 9th Division team arrived to begin their investigation. Tessai Tsukabishi used forbidden Kidō to teleport the Vizard back to the lab of Kisuke Urahara in Seireitei in a bid to save them.

Known Districts
So far, only five names of Rukongai districts are known:
 * 1 -, part of West Rukongai
 * Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Momo Hinamori, and Jidanbō Ikkanzaka, the West Gate Keeper, came from here. When Ichigo comes to Soul Society, the spirit of Yūichi Shibata, the boy who inhabited Yasutora Sado's cockatiel, also comes to reside here. According to Sōsuke Aizen, West Rukongai is also the "headquarters" of Kisuke Urahara.
 * 3 -, part of West Rukongai
 * Kaien Shiba trained Rukia Kuchiki here on Mt. Koifushi.
 * 78 -, the South Alley of Flowing Spirits
 * Hisana Kuchiki was sent here with Rukia when they died. Both Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai grew up here.
 * 79 -, the North Alley of Loitering Spirits
 * Yachiru Kusajishi was found and named after here by Kenpachi Zaraki.
 * 80 -, the North Alley of Loitering Spirits
 * Captain Kenpachi Zaraki originated from here.