After a week-long hiatus due to a bit of writer's block, I'm back! Our next stop takes us to Sierra, the Golden Province!

Fast Facts:
Japanese Name:「シエラ州」(Shiera-shuu, lit. "Sierra State")
Capital: San Moriuchi
2020 Population: 2 million
Color: Gold (#F0C310)
Bird: Golden Robin
Flower: Sierra Lily
Major Cities: Grantston
Industry: Mining, Energy
Comparable States: Miyagi, Oklahoma
Flag:


History:
Sierra is a mining province, similar to Roosevelt. In fact, most of its original population arrived between 1878 and 1881 when Sierra's gold rush occurred. However, it also is an energy capital, providing tons of energy to both the cities within the province but also extending beyond its boundaries to Pine Grove, Roosevelt, Shinkyō, and even Luna Island (Finch Lake prefers to use green energy only). In recent times, the government has been focused on diversifying the economy, investing in both new energy sources as well as infrastructure and technology to help former miners find new work. These efforts have also been supplemented by federal support, but the full switch of the economy away from dirty energy is still years off.

Symbols:
The gold color Sierra is so proud of comes from the gold that was mined in the early days of the province. The Golden Robin serves as provincial bird to represent the country of Robin Island as well the Golden Province. This extends to the flower, the Sierra Lily. This flower can only be found in and around Sierra, a beautiful golden flower (of course) that represents the delicacy of the gold but also the hardiness of the miners. The flag represents a golden sun rising over the sea and the golden land of Sierra.

Cities:
San Moriuchi:
Japanese Name:「サン森内市」(San Moriuchi-shi, lit. "San Moriuchi City") (Moriuchi is a name, hence the lack of translation)
2020 Population: 1.3 million
Similar Cities: Sendai, San Jose, Nashville
San Moriuchi, named after Takahiro Moriuchi, a Japanese convert to Christianity that was very prominent in the early days of Sierra, is the biggest city in the province as well the capital. It's the 11th most populous city in the country and is where most of the biggest energy companies are headquartered. Some of those include Robin Energy, San Moriuchi Electric Power Company (SMEPC), and Golden Power. The city has developed a love for basketball and hockey, oddly enough, and the massive corporations based in it have provided plenty of support in order to gain favor among local fans. The local art scene is also large, with festivals frequently held throughout the year.
Grantston:
Japanese Name:「グランツトン市」(Gurantsuton-shi, lit. "Grantston City")
2020 Population: 0.7 million
Similar Cities: Fort Worth, Tulsa
Grantston was named for U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, who was President when the settlement was founded. The city is basically a smaller San Moriuchi, with a couple energy companies and other various businesses calling the city home. As such, the city has yet to really develop its own culture, acting merely as an extension of San Moriuchi's love for basketball and the arts. Grantston's national claim to fame is the world-class ballet that calls the city home, with several famous dancers hailing from the city.

Conclusion:
Sierra is a province going through some serious changes, to both its politics and economy. The former home of Robin Island mining has begun its transformation into the forefront of energy and technology, aided by the provincial and federal governments but no thanks to the coal companies that still have a powerful grasp on political discourse. Sierra's sports teams usually have no issue staying alive in the province with plenty of corporate and fan support, despite Sierra's relatively smaller size for a province. 

(Editor's Note: Finally, Sierra's finished! So sorry about the break, I couldn't find the energy to continue the series. In fact, the biggest hold-up has the flag. You'll see rising sun imagery throughout the country, I think it's an awesome symbol that connects the country together. I found that the color scheme for Sierra's flag is also awesome and I plan on utilizing it in its sports. Additionally, San Moriuchi is actually named for the real Takahiro Moriuchi - the lead singer of my favorite band, ONE OK ROCK. You'll see plenty of references to my personal life throughout the country, but I'll be sure to explain them in detail so that you're never left wondering "what the heck?". There are several more instances of this, so prepare yourself!)

I had some time so I figured I'd do a little work for Robin Island as well. Our next is Pine Grove!

Fast Facts:
Japanese Name:「パイングローブ州」(Pain Guroobu-shuu, lit. "Pine Grove State")
Capital: Queenston
2020 Population: 4.7 million
Color: Dark Blue (Hex #2D41BB)
Bird: Common Nighthawk
Flower: Pine Blossom
Major Cities: Drakesburgh, Pineville
Industry: Finances, Technology, Brewing, Bottling
Comparable States: North Carolina, Hiroshima
Flag:


History:
Pine Grove has a long history as the financial capital of Robin Island. When America controlled the territory, Queenston was chosen to serve as the colony's capital and a mint was established to make currency. When the Japanese took over, the mint was deemed too costly to move, so it remained, despite another mint being built in Shinsakai, the Japanese capital. As such, pretty much every major national bank has its headquarters in Queenston, though some regional banks persist throughout the country. When Queenston was chosen to serve as capital, the subdivision of Pine Grove chose to shift its capital to a new city, Drakesburgh. However, the province chose to move back to Queenston and occupy the old government buildings. When the Japanese evacuated Robin Island during World War II, Queenston was actually torched as a bit of retaliation, but the city was soon restored thanks to the American military.

Symbols:
Pine Grove's dark blue color comes from the ocean it resides by as well as acting as a mix of the regal purple often used to represent Queenston and the light blue Drakesburgh utilized. Nowadays, it's common for Queenston to just use the province's blue, however. The provincial bird, the common nighthawk, is actually an invasive species that arrived with some settlers of the Pine Grove area. This makes its selection as provincial bird a little controversial, since to some it represents the invasion of the former Japanese territory by Americans. The provincial flower, the Pine Blossom, is a strain of plum blossom that is a brilliant blue, just like the province. The flag takes inspiration from the settlers' North Carolinian heritage and utilizes a Scottish cross emblazoned with a blue cross and four stars to represent the compass directions and the founding of a new land.

Cities:
Queenston:
Japanese Name:「クインストン市」(Kuinsuton-shi, lit. "Queenston City")
2020 Population: 3.3 million
Similar Cities: Charlotte, Hiroshima
Queenston, also known as the "Phoenix City" for its rebirth after World War II, is the financial hub of Robin Island. Almost every major bank makes its home here as well as the largest mint in the country along with the paper currency facility. Queenston has also become a home for craft brewing, with several local IPAs eventually becoming household names. Queenston is also home to two top universities in the country: University of Pine Grove and Queenston Technical College. Every sport can be found here with a passionate fanbase, even motorsports are supported with the Robin Island Grand Prix being held every year in Queenston. 
Drakesburgh:
Japanese Name:「ドレイクスバルグ市」(Doreikusubarugu-shi, lit. "Drakesburgh City")
2020 Population: 1 million
Similar Cities: Raleigh, Hamilton
Drakesburgh is the former capital of Pine Grove and currently is finishing up a major reworking of the economy around technology. Drakesburgh is the Southern hub of tech in Robin Island (with Vertlac, Columbia acting as the usual hub) and manufactures and develops things like computers, phones, and game consoles. The city has something of an inferiority complex regarding Queenston, with some older residents still holding the moving of the capital against the provincial government. However, Drakesburgh's proximity to Queenston has led to many a team skipping over the city in favor of Queenston, leading to many minor league opportunities for the town.
Pineville:
Japanese Name:「パインビル市」(Painbiru-shi, lit "Pineville City")
2020 Population: 0.4 million
Similar Cities: Asheville, Boulder
Pineville is the quirky city in the mountains with a reputation for beer and bottling, with Pepsi Robin Island strangely choosing to utilize the small town for its bottling plant. This has caused a large increase in population, enough so to make Pineville a Major City. Pineville has become a mecca for Robin Islanders to go and visit for some fun, as the only city to legalize weed in the country, it's even become somewhat of a tourist destination for those unable to get their fill at home. Pineville sports is pretty much limited to a small soccer team, but some local business owners have begun the push for bigger things.

Conclusion:
Pine Grove might be the second-most important province in the country (after Shinkyō, of course). Basically every major financial deal is done in Queenston and new technology is constantly being pumped out of Drakesburgh. However, Pine Grove is infamous for its white-collar crime, something that city leaders viciously deny but secretly acknowledge and maybe even take part in. With a rapidly developing culture, Pineville might be the most interesting place in Robin Island and Drakesburgh is a city on the rise with something to prove. 

(Editor's Note: Yes, Pine Grove is basically North Carolina, how'd you know? I wanted a province based on my home state and this seemed like the most fitting. Of course it's not one-to-one and there will be plenty of differentiation, so don't worry about me recycling Charlotte concepts into Queenston ones! Drakesburgh is inspired by Raleigh, right down to the explorer name, but after Sir Francis Drake instead of Sir Walter Raleigh. Pineville is a mix of Greensboro, Asheville, and the real Pineville but I think it ended up closer to Denver than anything. Should make for some interesting concepts down the line! Any questions? C&C Welcome!)

Last edited by QCS (5/06/2020 12:02 pm)

We've got another province to hit today, so welcome to the first (sort of) Japanese province on the tour, Aorin!

Fast Facts:
Japanese Name:「青林州」(Aorin-shuu, lit "Blue Forest State")
Capital: Aorin-shi
2020 Population: 3.2 million
Color: Light Blue (Hex #218BE4)
Bird: Purple Honeycreeper
Flower: Robin Island Cattleya
Major Cities: Aoba, Aokawa
Industry: Lumber, Tourism, Fishing
Comparable States: Okinawa, Fukuoka
Flag:


History:
Aorin was initially established by Okinawans fleeing the Japanese when they took over the Ryūkyū Kingdom, which is what Okinawa was initially called. However, they couldn't escape for long as the Japanese expanded their empire before being colonized by the Americans. However, Aorin plays an important role in Robin Island's politics, serving as Japanese counterpart to Pine Grove. Aorin is a densely forested area, and its primary industry, lumber, takes full advantage of that. However, Aorin has made sure to sustainably control the cutting of trees with the help of officials from Columbia, Hokuseikyō, and Finch Lake. Recently, a tourism industry has begun to appear with many new beachside resorts opening.

Symbols:
The light blue comes from Aorin's beautiful ocean views and lush forests. The bird, the purple honeycreeper, carries this theme as an adult male is a vivid shade of blue. The flower, the Robin Island Cattleya, is a species of Cattleya native to Robin Island and is, again, a bright blue. The flag of Aorin takes inspiration from Ryukyu's flag (seen here) while implementing the rising sun on Robin Island's flag. 

Cities:
Aorin:
Japanese Name:「青林市」(Aorin-shi, lit "Blue Forest City")
2020 Population: 1.7 million
Similar Cities: Fukuoka, Manila (Philippines)
Aorin, named after the province, is the largest city in the province of Aorin and the 6th largest in the country. It's built on the excellent fishing that can be found in the channels around the city and island it occupies. It was selected to be the capital in 1953 through a random drawing between the three biggest cities in Aorin at the time: Aorin, Aokawa, and Aoba. This has skewed the development of all three, with Aorin becoming definitively the largest city in the province. Baseball is the premier sport in the city, followed closely by soccer.
Aokawa:
Japanese Name:「青川市」(Aokawa-shi, lit "Blue River City")
2020 Population: 0.9 million
Similar Cities: Kagoshima
Aokawa is where most of the lumber industry takes place within Aorin, owing to its central location and position as a shipping port. The city takes pride in its sustainable cutting and green nature, somewhat of a theme throughout the country. The city of Aokawa has begun to create its own self-sustaining infrastructure, investing heavily in renewable energy and things like self-healing concrete and new fuel types for vehicles. Soccer is the sport of choice in Aokawa, although baseball has spread from Aorin as well.
Aoba:
Japanese Name:「青葉市」(Aoba-shi, lit. "Fresh Leaves City")
2020 Population: 0.6 million
Similar Cities: Naha, Miyazaki
Aoba is the smallest Major City in Aoba and one that acts like it. Similar to Matsuike in Finch Lake, Aoba keeps its small-town vibes and plays off them to create a unique experience for anyone living here. Aoba was named for the lush forests found both in and around the city, with a summer that lasts a long time. Baseball claims Aoba's number one sport, although basketball is also popular in the region. 

Conclusion:
Aorin is somewhat of a loose cannon in Robin Island's politics, choosing often to do its own thing while trying to ignore the federal government. That said, it remains a cultural hotspot and offers plenty of unique celebrations and traditions that can't be found anywhere else in Robin Island thanks to the unique heritage of Aorin's founders. Plenty of tourists visit every year and Aorin has become a shining example on proper care and maintenance of forests for lumber. The future is bright on the Islands of Blue!

​(Editor's Note: Another one down! It's common in Japan for the prefecture and capital to share the same name, so I made sure that was included in Robin Island as well. For the most part, context can be used to determine which one I'm talking about, but if it's not clear, I'll use Aorin for the province and Aorin-shi for the city. Aorin is pretty much directly based on Okinawa with a bit of Kyushu mixed in but that didn't come to me until I made the flag. Honestly, Aorin's flag is my favorite in the entire series and it will see plenty of love later down the line. Another thing to note: in Japanese they didn't really have a word for green for a while, so the word for blue was used in its stead. This is why Japan's traffic lights are red-yellow-blue and the word for "fresh leaves" (like green ones, on the tree) could be literally translated as "blue leaves". What do you think? C&C Appreciated!)

Alright, time for our next stop and by far the largest province (and also the longest write-up), Shinsakai!

Fast Facts:
Japanese Name:「新堺州」(Shinsakai-shuu, lit. "New Sakai State")
Capital: Shinōsaka
2020 Population: 9.6 million
Color: Black (Hex #000000)
Bird: Shinsakai Shrike
Flower: Kuortorijima Apricot
Major Cities: Shinsakai-shi, Shinkobe, sh-t, Wakajima
Industry: Automotive, Heavy Industry, Medicine, Film
Comparable States: California, Osaka
Flag:


History:
Shinsakai is the center of Japanese culture and power in Robin Island. It's the most populous province by a good margin, with 3 of its cities in the Top 10 of the country and all 5 Major Cities in the Top 20. Its former capital of Shinsakai-shi was the capital of Robin Island while it was under Japanese control, leading to the creation of Shinōsaka as the capital of Shinsakai (confusing, huh?). Shinsakai is home to one of Robin Island's only traditional Japanese castles, Shinsakai Castle in Shinsakai-shi. Shinsakai often finds itself at odds with the federal government over one thing or another, mostly due to cultural differences with the American part of Robin Island, most frequently clashing with Roosevelt. 

Symbols:
Shinsakai takes the opposite of Japan's famous white and utilizes jet black to illustrate the differences between them and the rest of the country. The bird, the Shinsakai Shrike, is unique to the region and has become a symbol for the independence movement some Japanese-Robin Islanders have been pushing. The Kurotorijima Apricot is a native apricot that takes its name from the Japanese name for Robin Island - Kurotorijima (「黒鳥島国」Kurotorijima-kuni, lit "Black Bird Island Country", named after the Black Robin found here). The flag is strangely inspired by the prefecture that Shinsakai was named after but was since renamed: Osaka Prefecture, formerly Sakai Prefecture. The flag places a white circle on a black base and uses black to form the character「大」, the first character in Osaka and translating to "Big" or "Great", further fueling Shinsakai's ego.

Cities:
Shinōsaka:
Japanese Name:「新大阪市」(Shinoosaka-shi, lit. "New Osaka City")
2020 Population: 4.6 million
Similar Cities: Osaka, Los Angeles
Shinōsaka is the second-most populous city in the country (after Shinkyō) and is the center of Japanese culture in Robin Island. Shrines and torii gates dot the landscape and often one can see people in kimono headed to a festival to play games and decompress after a long work day. Many Robin Island movies are filmed in studios found in and around Shinōsaka and it hosts Universal Studios Robin Island. Every sport is popular in Shinōsaka and it hosts the league headquarters of the Kurotorijima Pro Football Association (KPFA), the highest league of soccer in the country. 
Shinsakai:
Japanese Name:「新堺市」(Shinsakai-shi, lit. "New Sakai City")
2020 Population: 1.6 million
Similar Cities: Kyoto, San Francisco
Shinsakai-shi, as the former capital of the province, took its name from the province, which worked out nicely until the Japanese government decided to make it the capital of their newly conquered territory. The Shinsakai provincial government decided to create a new city to become the provincial capital and Shinōsaka was born. Shinsakai-shi, on the other hand, grew rapidly until the Japanese government was kicked out of the colony, when it collapsed and suffered through a decade of economic hardship. The city recovered with a little help from Toyota, which put their first Robin Island plant in Shinsakai-shi, leading to the city becoming the automotive center of Robin Island for several decades. This wouldn't last, as neighboring city Shinkobe has supplanted Shinsakai-shi as the premier automotive destination in Robin Island.
Shinkobe:
Japanese Name:「新神戸市」(Shinkoube-shi, lit. "New Kobe City")
2020 Population: 1.3 million
Similar Cities: Nagoya, Sacramento
Shinkobe (pronounced koh-beh, not like the basketball player) is the third-largest city in Shinsakai and the 10th largest in the country. It's home to Toyota's Robin Island headquarters as well local car manufacturers Shrike and 35 Motors. The city is relatively new, being founded in 1986, but has exploded in population thanks to its favorability for car manufacturers. Shinkobe is mostly a soccer city but also follows basketball.
sh-t:
Japanese Name:「山下市」(sh-t-shi, lit. "Below Mountain City")
2020 Population: 1.1 million
Similar Cities: Nara, San Jose
sh-t is the most traditional city in Shinsakai, but in recent times has become something of a futurist's dream. Imagine San Fransokyo from Big Hero 6 but on a smaller scale and without the costumed superheroes and villains, and you've got a good idea of what sh-t looks like. Traditional Japanese houses and shrines can be found around every corner while next door is a net cafe or high-tech company developing their next product. sh-t is, unsurprisingly, the eSports capital of Robin Island, frequently hosting national and international tournaments in popular games like Overwatch, Street Fighter V, and StarCraft II. 
Wakajima:
Japanese Name:「和歌島市」(Wakajima-shi, lit. "Peaceful Song Island City")
2020 Population: 1 million
Similar Cities: San Diego, Sakai
Wakajima is the smallest Major City in Shinsakai but is also home to plenty of Shinsakai's biggest export: steel and other heavy industry. Wakajima is also home to Robin Island's largest lantern festival, annually lighting thousands of lanterns for some of the most beautiful shots in the country. In recent years Wakajima has become a lightning rod for controversy through the pollution cause by its industry and the city and province of Shinsakai stepped up admirably. Strict limitations were placed and now Wakajima is a test case for properly limited pollution while keeping industry up and running.

Conclusion:
Shinsakai is the place to go for Japanese culture in Robin Island. Plenty of traditional festivals and customs keep it very much alive in the province and the country as a whole. Recently some separatist groups have sprouted up and begun pushing for independence from Robin Island, uniting the Japanese provinces under a more Japanese government. The main separatist party, Kurotori Shinkoku, even has a couple seats in the provincial government but right now it seems there's not much danger of the country splitting. Shinsakai is a lovely place to visit and live and is another great place for sports with every sport popular in the province.

(Editor's Note: Finally done! I got through two separate albums and like 3 songs on top of that before finishing! Only one thing to explain: sh-t is actually named after Toru sh-t, guitarist of ONE OK ROCK. You'll see these guys pop up every now and then, along with two other of my favorite bands: coldrain and Imagine Dragons. Anyway, Shinsakai is probably the province I'd most want to visit, with its mix of tech, Japanese culture, and American culture. How about you guys? Any questions? C&C Appreciated!)

(Quick Editor's Note Three: Censor filter issues are fixed. Thanks!)

Last edited by QCS (5/11/2020 7:39 pm)

ZO82 wrote:

I get the feeling that Shinsakai is going to be a problem in the future.

They're this strange mix of California's economic power, Japan's traditional culture, and Quebec's constant desire to leave their country. There will probably be some issues that arise from Shinsakai's desire to leave, most likely in the '80s, when Quebec went through their rebellious phase and nationalism was on the rise worldwide. I haven't decided the story in full yet, however, so nothing is set in stone.