What exactly is Bukyo?

[DamianFatale]

There seems to be another marked city state named “Bukyo” within the country of Hingashi. I believe it’s even mentioned in gatherer levequests, and geomancer lore.

If you go under Kugane, you’ll see a group of people that don’t seem to want to be bothered. They mention that there is something very wrong about Hingashi that’s beginning to happen. I believe it’s a caste issue.

These things lead me to believe that we will be visiting the rest of Hingashi at some point. It would likely be in a future expansion.

I think Kuganes end goal is to set up a neutral state that involves multiple countries, and eventually lead into a conflict of its own much later.

[subteraneanbird]

Bukyo is the capital of Hingashi. Kugane is just a port city, but because it's the only city open to foreigners, all the consulates and such are there. You're right that there is some class issues in Hingashi, specifically the peasantry have no means to effect change, and life is not easy for them. Even joining the Sekiseigumi, which is about the biggest thing a non-noble can do in their life, does not improve their lot dramatically. However, there's no indication this will blow up anytime soon. The SAM quests 60-70 involve you putting down a ronin traitor to the Sekiseigumi and his attempt to overthrow Hingashi. Beyond that people aren't thrilled but that's true everywhere.

[TinyRedLeaf]

As mentioned, Bukyo is the capital of Hinganshi. It's very likely written as 武京 in kanji, which means "Martial City". 武 means "Martial" and is one of the two characters that make up the word 武士 / bushi, or "warrior". The "kyo" in Bukyo is the same character you'd find in Tokyo ("Eastern Capital") and Kyoto (literally, "The Capital").

Hinganshi has only recently emerged from its equivalent of Japan's "Warring States" or Sengoku era, with the new military government, or the Bakufu (literally, the "tent city") set up in Bukyo.

[Jonnycbad]

Othard = Asia
Doma = China
Hingashi = Japan
Bukyo = Tokyo
Azim Steppe= Mongolia

[LineageRazor]

Bukyo is the capital of Hingashi. Kugane is just a port city, but because it's the only city open to foreigners, all the consulates and such are there. You're right that there is some class issues in Hingashi, specifically the peasantry have no means to effect change, and life is not easy for them. Even joining the Sekiseigumi, which is about the biggest thing a non-noble can do in their life, does not improve their lot dramatically. However, there's no indication this will blow up anytime soon. The SAM quests 60-70 involve you putting down a ronin traitor to the Sekiseigumi and his attempt to overthrow Hingashi. Beyond that people aren't thrilled but that's true everywhere.

For the duration of the 60+ SAM quests, I was constantly asking myself, "Why are we working so hard to stop this guy again?" Honestly, it seemed like he had the right idea. I mean, war bad, blah blah blah, but when a government is as corrupt as Kugane's seems to be, a revolt be the oppressed isn't exactly out of line...

Slaughtering an entire family for the crimes of a member, visiting pleasure houses on the taxpayers' dime, the list goes on and on...

[TinyRedLeaf]

Doma = China

More like Doma = Yokohama's Chinatown, because Doma is most certainly not the Imperial China I recognise from history or wuxia fiction.


But since you've brought up the comparisons, I realised a while back that the four countries of Othard could be thought of as the analogues of the four city-states in Eorzea.

Limsa Lominsa = the Ruby Sea Confederacy (because pirates)
Hinganshi = Ishgard (because xenophobic isolationism)
Doma = Ul'dah (or would have been, before Garlean occupation)
Azim Steppes = Gridania (because traditionalists, and closeness with nature)


Food for thought.

[ObsidianFire]

Doma = Nara Japan
Hingashi = Bakufu Japan

According to various lore panels, you've got two periods of Japan living alongside each other. China isn't anywhere to be found.

Also Gridania and the Azim Steppes couldn't be more different in their philosophies. The only way they are similar is that they have similar technology levels. Although going by quests in Reunion, the Xaela are not opposed to getting tech upgrades...

Fortunately for everyone, the Xaela are more interested in fighting among each other then they are in expanding their borders...

[Iscah]

For the duration of the 60+ SAM quests, I was constantly asking myself, "Why are we working so hard to stop this guy again?" Honestly, it seemed like he had the right idea. I mean, war bad, blah blah blah, but when a government is as corrupt as Kugane's seems to be, a revolt be the oppressed isn't exactly out of line...

Slaughtering an entire family for the crimes of a member, visiting pleasure houses on the taxpayers' dime, the list goes on and on...

I haven't got to the 60+ samurai quests yet, but I just finished the first lot and didn't enjoy them at all. Musosai's approach of "pass judgement on the wicked and slay them without further trial" is.... well, it's terribly convenient that we only ever came across cackling villains who proudly admitted the accusations were true. And it still didn't feel like justice was being done, when it's down to one man's whim with no prior knowledge of the situation - even if Musosai's particular judgement is sound, the system is open to abuse.

I was hoping the next lot of quests might be better, but it sounds like I'm not going to enjoy them either. :[

[DamianFatale]

I just wonder why they actually went through with the effort of designing a unique map icon for Bukyo. Usually we have to wait until it’s expansion before we get one for a city.

[ObsidianFire]

Both Samurai questlines are a huge nod to the "wandering samurai" trope and modern takes on Historical Japanese Drama in general. The Lvl 50 - 60 quests follow the "samurai wandering to atone for something he did" idea. The Lvl 60 -70 quests fallows the "outsider samurai who doesn't have their honor at steak so they can do things the samurai who live there 24/7 can't" idea. The Lvl 50 -60 quests introduce Hingashi's obsession with honor and the fallout that can come from that. The Lvl 60 -70 quests introduce Hingashi's "you're born into your social position" culture and how badly that can go. Read just about any of the more popular "Historical Japanese" anime/manga and it's very obvious what type of story they were going for.

As for why revolting against Kugane's government is a bad idea... Kugane is the only port city people are allowed to trade in in Hingashi. If the Kugane government goes, then the port gets closed. There's also the worry about how different factions (like the Garleans) would take advantage of the situation. Taking out the Sekisegumi would cause a similar problem as they are Kugane's law enforcement and the reason why Kugane is a peaceful as it is. They also aren't as corrupt as the government is due to them not being nobles.

The big thing to remember is that Hingashi just got finished with their version of the "Warring States" period. Their government is in a major transition period and some people think it isn't transitioning fast enough. That a bunch of innocent people can get trampled isn't something they're really thinking about (on both sides of the equation).