Japanese Influences on My World

Following on my previous blog post about how I approach diversity and inclusion in my novels, another topic I wanted to address at an early stage is Japanese influences on my fantasy world. Specifically, how the inspiration for Shikiteikoku is Imperial Japan.

The name Shikiteikoku itself is four seasons (shiki) and empire (teikoku) in Japanese. Japan’s natural beauty is absolutely stunning, and since I was using Japan as the creative basis for this island empire that Rissa and Rhenise set sail for, I wanted to pay homage to Japan’s beauty. The Shikijin’s physical appearances and the sounds of Shikigo are loosely inspired by the people of the Japanese main islands (not the Ainu or the Ryukyuans) and the Japanese language. When the characters speak Shikigo to each other in my novel, it is modern Japanese. However, at the end of the day, Shikiteikoku is an empire I made up for my fantasy world to tell the story I wanted to tell, and I break away from “the source material” when the story calls me to.

There are two points readers might take issue with for my Japanese inspiration.

First is the accusation that I am appropriating Japanese culture. Cultural appropriation is the problematic adoption of elements of a minority culture by members of a dominant culture without understanding, respect, or permission. It is particularly egregious when it trivializes sacred traditions, reinforces stereotypes and/or perpetuates discrimination, and the dominant group profits from the act.

As I mention elsewhere, I am a biracial woman of color. Specifically, I am half-Japanese and I have grown up with a deep understanding of and respect for Japanese culture. I have loved bringing Japanese culture into my novel pitched for a more general audience, and I know I would have and I still would love to see Japanese culture becoming more integrated into mainstream fantasy – as long as it is done in an understanding and respectful manner.

Furthermore, I have taken the opportunity to learn about my own culture. For example, there was a Japanese idiom that I learned had a double meaning. I chose to stick with the more colloquial meaning, but I have enjoyed how researching for writing Rissa Must Die has deepened my own understanding of Japanese culture. Lastly, I reject the notion that I need “permission” from anyone to be inspired by and write about Japanese culture.

I have taken care to not trivialize sacred traditions – though I do not have a problem critiquing State Shintoism and emperor worship. I have taken care to not reinforce negative stereotypes, though some of the less cosmopolitan characters in my novel will speak in over-generalizations about the Shikijin. However, if you as a reader ever feel uncomfortable with my portrayal of Shikiteikoku because of how close it is to Japan, I am open to hearing your concerns and having a conversation about it.

The second point people might take issue with is my focus on Imperial Japan. The politics of Shikiteikoku in Rissa Must Die is modeled on Imperial Japan in 1936-1940. This is not because I am holding Imperial Japan up as a model in any way, but because I can use the medium of a fantasy novel to, in fact, critique the politics and policies of the era. Creative inspiration should not be confused with political admiration or moral endorsement.

As I researched and wrote on the Axis alliance negotiations between Japan and Germany in 1936-1940 for my PhD dissertation, I have a clear understanding of how problematic Japanese politics and policymaking processes were in this era. I also personally think that there should be more creative works on that era, not less, so people never forget how Japan went to war. I have truly enjoyed shedding light on that period, and I have loved bringing that crazy piece of diplomatic history into my fantasy world. I hope you enjoy reading about it as much as I enjoyed writing about it!

What is your favorite fantasy novel set in a world inspired by a non-Western setting? I still have a lot of recently published books I need to read, but I would say Fonda Lee’s Jade City, Tasha Suri’s The Jasmine Throne, and C. L. Clark’s The Unbroken.