6.0 Predictions: Will it be Garlemald, Sharlayan, or Meracydia?

[Kesey]

I also imagine there will be a globe trotting expansion one day that adds of the areas around Hydalyn that we have been near but have not explored including hopefully the rest of Hingashi with a more mystical experience because I do agree it was disappointing we only got one city from the Nation based off of Japan.

I'm pretty the reason Kugane as the only open city in Hingashi is to reflect the history of Japan that for the longest time had one port city open to the rest of the world. Plus it gives them a chance to have an expansion some time in the future that is a "Japan" expansion which I'm sure all of the devs would be culturally proud of.

[Cilia]

I'm pretty the reason Kugane as the only open city in Hingashi is to reflect the history of Japan that for the longest time had one port city open to the rest of the world. Plus it gives them a chance to have an expansion some time in the future that is a "Japan" expansion which I'm sure all of the devs would be culturally proud of.

Both Hingashi and Doma are heavily inspired by feudal Japan, and while the liberation of the latter is definitely portrayed as a good thing in Stormblood it doesn't shy away from pointing out the ugly side of Japanese culture as embodied in Yotsuyu.

[Kesey]

Both Hingashi and Doma are heavily inspired by feudal Japan, and while the liberation of the latter is definitely portrayed as a good thing in Stormblood it doesn't shy away from pointing out the ugly side of Japanese culture as embodied in Yotsuyu.

Yes, most definitely. But sealing off the rest of Hingashi was probably deliberate so it could be revisited with the proper main story plot, allowing them to add more of the dev's native culture.

I don't speak for the community, but once Hydaelyn/Zodiark is resolved I'd be up for exploring Hingashi.