After three days to explore Shinsakai, we're on to our next stop: Araki!

Fast Facts:
Japanese Name:「荒木州」(Araki-shuu, lit. "Rough Forest State")
Capital: Joestar
2020 Population: 2.3 million
Color: Purple (Hex #5F0EBA)
Bird: Wild Skylark
Flower: Morioh Rose
Major Cities: Morioh, Naples
Industry: Entertainment, Manufacturing, Agriculture
Comparable States: Niigata, Missouri
Flag:


History:
The province of Araki was named after its discoverer, Ishi Araki. Fittingly, it was covered in forest when initially settled. Nowadays, it's been mostly converted into farmland and cities, not leaving much natural forest around. Araki and Toramoto are infamous for their rivalry, extending back to when the two were founded. Their border is on the Sugiyama River (named after the lake the two and Hokken share) and the rival capitals of Joestar and Toramoto both utilize the river and by the extension the lake for their own gain. However, Araki currently has the advantage in population, and the Araki city of Naples currently controls the lake. 

Symbols:
Araki's purple color is the symbol of royalty and opposes Toramoto's orange, as well. The bird, a wild skylark, was chosen to represent Araki's untamed nature. The flower, a Morioh Rose, is unique to the area around the city of Morioh, and was selected as a native representative of Araki. The flag takes three stripes and overlays them with a purple cross, marking "X" for Araki. (On what map, no one's really sure. The design dates back hundreds of years.)

Cities:
Joestar:
Japanese Name:「ジョースター市」(Jyousutaa-shi, lit. "Joestar City")
2020 Population: 0.9 million
Similar Cities: St. Louis, Niigata
Joestar isn't very large compared to other Robin Island cities, but it's larger than Toramoto-shi (by about 10,000 people) and that's all that matters to the citizens of Joestar. The two cities have been rivals even before the provinces of Araki and Toramoto existed, due to their opposing natures and position on the river delta. Joestar and Toramoto-shi, like Daishinkyō and Koshinkyō, often fight over who gets funding and control of bridges over the river and the federal government usually has to step in. Joestar and Toramoto-shi might be the two most passionate cities for sports in the entire country, with ownership groups from one often demanding that a team from the other city be created so that the two can square off. The resulting viewership and attendance is gangbusters for sports leagues and so they usually create the two in pairs. Joestar's citizens don't what sport they watch as long as they're beating Toramoto-shi.
Morioh:
Japanese Name:「森王町」(Moriou-chou, lit. "Forest King Town")
2020 Population: 0.8 million
Morioh is the only Major City in Robin Island to keep its former designation of「町」when it was recognized as a Major City in 1953. When it was put to a vote, citizens declared firmly (a margin of 92-8) that they wanted「町」and the government complied. Morioh finds itself on the edge of the Shinsakai Bay, a massive bay opposing Robin Bay on the other side of the country. This makes it a popular shipping destination. Morioh enjoys most sports but prefers soccer.
Naples:
Japanese Name:「ネプルズ市」(Nepuruzu-shi, lit. "Naples City")
2020 Population: 0.6 million
Naples, named after the Italian city of the same name, is on Lake Sugiyama and is a popular vacation destination within Robin Island. The comforting weather and relaxed atmosphere make it unlike any other place in Robin Island, even Luna Island. At times, it feels more at home among the Mediterranean coast than in the Japanese Araki. Naples, due to its tourism-driven nature, is filled with transplants and has trouble with professional sports. Several lower-level teams have survived due to lower expectations.

Conclusion:
Araki is a quintessentially Japanese province, filled with Japanese traditions and culture. However, Joestar's intense rivalry with Toramoto-shi is nothing short of spectacular and a sporting match between these two bitter rivals should not be missed during a visit to the country. Araki also boasts beautiful seashores and lakeshores, making it a great place to avoid the crowded beaches of Luna Island. The cities of Araki ensure that the government runs smoothly and Araki is respected across the country for its efficiency in government.

(Editor's Note: This one is gonna take a bit of explaining: It's heavily influenced by a manga/anime called JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, written by a man named Hirohiko Araki and follows the Joestar bloodline throughout history as they defend the world from evil. Both Morioh (a fake city in Japan) and Naples (a real city in Italy) play host to the story at some point, so they were referenced here. JoJo's was published in Shounen Jump, a Japanese manga magazine, so Joestar's top level soccer team will be named Joestar Jump F.C. as reference. There will be plenty of these nods to the franchise throughout Araki, but they won't become intrusive, I hope. What do you think? Any questions? C&C Appreciated!)

Steelman wrote:

The write-up is great but this is the first flag that's a miss for me. I think purple and black is a tough combo to make look timeless. I think I would stick to purple with a black x-cross and do thinner three stripes across the middle.

I'll be honest and say I don't remember what I was thinking when I made this flag. I'm not sure I'll do revisions for the flags since not every flag in the world is amazing. The problem is the color that I ended up giving Araki, looks great on the map but it's somehow very bright and very dark at the same time.

sportsfan7 wrote:

QCS wrote:

I'm not sure I'll do revisions for the flags since not every flag in the world is amazing.

You can say that again
Check out these county flags of Liberia

Truly, an inspiration to us all.

 Next up, Araki's eternal rival Toramoto!

Fast Facts:
Japanese Name:「虎本州」(Toramoto-shuu, lit. "Tiger Origin State")
Capital: Toramoto-shi
2020 Population: 2.0 million
Color: Orange (Hex #FBA215)
Bird: Kurotorijima Flycatcher
Flower: Pear Blossom
Major Cities: Ft. Hayakawa, Mechaven
Industry: Aerospace, Military, Defense
Comparable States: Florida, Nevada
Flag:


History:
Toramoto and Araki serve as parallels to each other, dating back to their founding. By pure coincidence, both areas organized and became provinces on the exact same day, and the colonial government created the two provinces officially in the same act, leading to initial fights over which province was older. While this debate was settled in 1923 (officially, Toramoto's application was submitted and approved a few hours before Araki's, making them older), the rivalry lasted and the two still can't stand each other. The name comes from the tigers that used to appear near the area that was first settled, but sadly tigers are extinct in the wild in Robin Island.

Symbols:
The orange color is an obvious nod to the tigers that used to roam the area. The Kurotorijima Flycatcher is a plant native to Robin Island selected because of its uniqueness and its aggression with the skylark, Araki's bird. The Pear Blossom was selected as provincial flower because of its beauty and its seasonal appearance in Toramoto. The flag is an orange box with wide tiger stripes to represent Toramoto's ferocity and untamed nature.

Cities:
Toramoto:
Japanese Name:「虎本市」(Toramoto-shi, lit. "Tiger Origin City")
2020 Population: 0.9 million
Similar Cities: Kansas City, Niigata
Toramoto-shi and Joestar share a lot of charact eristics. Both cities are home to plenty of landmarks, often built in an attempt to out-do the other city. Joestar was home to the largest Buddhist temple in the country until Toramoto-shi built a larger one about ten years later. Despite the many petty squabbles that Joestar and Toramoto-shi get in to, they both exercise massive control over the Sugiyama River delta, with shipping empires living and dying based on how well they can play both sides of the river. Fortunately, both Toramoto-shi and Joestar use this power for good to ensure fair shipping rates and excellent pay for the workers living in the cities. Toramoto-shi adores any team that's able to beat Joestar, especially their own.
Ft. Hayakawa:
Japanese Name:「早川砦市」(Hayakawa Toride-shi, lit. "Hayakawa Fort City")
2020 Population: 0.8 million
Similar Cities: Reno, Colorado Springs
Ft. Hayakawa is the home of the military in Robin Island. Established in 1942 as the last line of defense against the Americans by the Japanese, Ft. Hayakawa has remained as a strategical location for military operations. It's pretty remote, surrounded by Lake Hayakawa (the fort's namesake) and mountains, leaving it far away from its provincial brethren Toramoto-shi and Mechaven. Ft. Hayakawa is known for its shady underbelly of suspicious dealings and off-duty soldiers looking to have fun, but many non-military citizens have begun to move there due to cheap housing and the city is slowly becoming a more traditional area. Recently the passion for hockey has ramped up as people leaving Ōyachi have settled in Ft. Hayakawa.
Mechaven:
Japanese Name:「メックハベン市」(Mekkuhaben-shi, lit. "Mechaven City")
2020 Population: 0.3 million
Similar Cities: Salt Lake City, Aomori
Mechaven is a small city on Lake Mechaven, which is on the border of Toramoto and Hokken. The city is mostly known for its manufacturing, often in the form of model Gundams, figures, and other various merchandise. Legendary anime studio Robinworks is based out of Mechaven, and their initial contracts with local factories to produce merchandise is where Mechaven's primary industry got started. Outside of that, the city is home to a small professional soccer team and not much else.

Conclusion:
Toramoto is a province on the rise, with Ft. Hayakawa quickly rising through the ranks of large cities. The rivalry with Araki is like nothing else in the world and causes trouble for both provinces. However, they also have proven they can work together, with a more friendly stance towards each other nowadays. Sporting rivalries are nothing short of spectacular and the Sugiyama River Derby between Joestar and Toramoto-shi is the most famous rivalry in Robin Island, on par with Yankees-Red Sox or Lakers-Celtics. 

(Editor's Note: Only four to go! Two Japanese provinces, two English provinces. I'll explain this further in the write-up for Cloudsgate, but the federal government had trouble maintaining balance between the American and Japanese populations when the country was founded in 1953. This will play into the story later on, with several key politicians and businessmen seeking for ways to find some peace between the two sides. On to cultural references: Lake Hayakawa, and by extension, Ft. Hayakawa, is named after Masato Hayakawa, the lead singer of coldrain. However, it means "Quick River" when translated, so it still works here. So, what do you think? Any questions? C&C Appreciated!) 

Last edited by QCS (5/22/2020 10:02 pm)

Alright, in order to avoid a long break like last time, we'll move on to the next province, Ōyachi!

Fast Facts:
Japanese Name:「大谷地州」(Ooyachi-shuu, lit. "Great Valley Land State")
Capital: Ōyachi-shi
2020 Population: 0.9 million
Color: Maroon (Hex #8D2B2B)
Bird: Robin Jay
Flower: Mei Blossom
Major Cities: Crater City
Industry: Heavy Manufacturing, Steel, Semiconductors
Comparable States: Alaska, Hokkaido
Flag:


History:
Ōyachi is the northern island off mainland Robin Island and it's the coldest part of the country. Crater City is the coldest city in the country, regularly reaching temperatures of -3 degrees C in winter. This makes it an excellent host for skiing and other winter activities. Not much of note has happened in Ōyachi, it parallels Finch Lake as a small province with little offerings. 

Symbols:
Maroon was selected as Ōyachi's official color after a poll was conducted among citizens and red and black tied. Officials decided to mix the two colors together to create maroon, and it became a popular color for businesses and displays around the province. The robin jay is a small bird that makes its home among the lightly forested areas of the mountains and the mei blossom was chosen as a regional flair on the national cherry blossom. The flag places a compass made of blue triangles on a maroon background and highlights north in white, signaling where Ōyachi is in Robin Island as well as creating a snowcapped mountain. 

Cities:
Ōyachi:
Japanese Name:「大谷地市」(Ooyachi-shi, lit. "Great Valley Land City")
2020 Population: 0.7 million
Similar Cities: Hakodate, Anchorage
Ōyachi-shi is the frozen metropolis that the province takes its name from. The city is in a massive valley but sadly this name doesn't much apply to the rest of the province, making it the Utah Jazz of Robin Island. The city has a local following for hockey and a popular youth league has its headquarters in the city. The citizens of Ōyachi-shi enjoy winter sports as well, with the city often playing host to national competitions.
Crater City:
Japanese Name:「クレーター市」(Kureetaa-shi, lit. "Crater City")
2020 Population: 0.2 million
Similar Cities: Kitami, Juneau
The smallest Major City in the country, Crater City resides in an actual crater on top of a dormant volcano. This makes it the highest city in the country as well as being the coldest. Crater City is home to the Ōyachi Winter Resort, the most extensive winter resort in Robin Island. The city of Hokken (as well as the province of Hokkyo) have actually bid for the Winter Olympics before, but skiing and other mountain sports would actually be held in Crater City, providing conclusive proof that no other resort can compare. Crater City is also home to a soccer team with a solid fanbase.

Conclusion:
Ōyachi is province with not much to talk about other than winter sports, but those winter sports are second to none in the country and hockey has plenty of roots in the province after spreading from Hokken. The Northern Island Youth Hockey League is considered to be the premier youth hockey league in the country with teams consistently winning national challenges and kids having successful pro careers. Look for powerhouses in the future!

(Editor's Note: One more down! I'm starting to try and fill in some sports-related gaps throughout the story, including youth hockey leagues and other hotspots for talent. Ōyachi is the place to go for youth hockey, but the next province, Hokken, is the home and soul of Robin Island hockey. Nothing to add this time, just a simple province with a neat flag. Any questions? C&C Appreciated!)

Last edited by QCS (5/27/2020 5:35 pm)