In Kunitsu-Game, cranes symbolize women and turtles symbolize men.
An artistic way of communicating men and women. Fitting as the game tells much of the story through visuals.
Soh's dancing talisman is titled 'dancing crane', and when purifying, two cranes can be seen.
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| Dancing Crane |
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| Congratulations Crane in Otherworldly Venture |
Only women(cranes) can use the power of the goddess, hence why only women can be shamans.
Specifically, it is the purifying power that only women can use.
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| I interpret the kaleidoscope to be implying she is the battery |
The masks are all powered by the Goddess Soh. Thus, if Yoshiro falls in battle, they all fall, too.
Cranes are also on lanterns. On the same lantern is what I thought was maybe a lotus but it's actually Rindo Kamon:
Sasa Rindo (笹竜胆), meaning "Gentiana and Bamboo", this mon was used as kamon by the Minamoto clan in Heian Jidai.
So, it is the Heian period!
(As I theorized in my Kuon post and Yoshiro's eyebrows post)