History Main / Wutai

* The Republic of Kalmykia in Russia. Despite being located in the European part of the country north of the Caucasus, it and it's inhabitants have a very East Asian appearance and culture, with Tibetan Buddhism being the dominant religion there, the only part of Europe to have Buddhism as it's most-practiced religion. How this came to be is because the Kalmyks are a branch of Mongols, who migrated to the region in early 17th century, expelled the Turkic Nogais who were living there and settled the area themselves. Even though the area was recently annexed by Russia, they were in no position to settle the area with Russian colonists, and so it became the Kalmyk Khanate, with the Kalmyks becoming subjects of the Tsar of Russia and protecting it's southern borders in exchange for an annual allowance and access to the markets of Russia's border settlements.

* The Republic of Kalmykia in Russia. Despite being located in the European part of the country north of the Caucasus, it and it's inhabitants have a very East Asian appearance and culture, with Tibetan Buddhism being the dominant religion there, the only part of Europe to have Buddhism as it's most-practiced religion. How this came to be is because the Kalmyks are a branch of Mongols, who migrated to the region in early 17th century, expelled the Turkic Nogais who were living there and settled the area themselves. Even though the area was recently annexed by the Republic of Russia, they were in no position to settle the area with Russian colonists, and so it became the Kalmyk Khanate, with the Kalmyks becoming subjects of the Tsar of Russia and protecting it's southern borders in exchange for an annual allowance and access to the markets of Russia's border settlements.

'''This sidequest:''' Inexplicable feudal Japanese village.]][[labelnote:Note]][[NoGearLevel Hey, where did]] [[SoLongAndThanksForAllTheGear all my gear go?!]][[/labelnote]]

'''This sidequest:''' Inexplicable feudal Japanese village.]]

** [[spoiler: In the Reverse World(Setting for Chrono Crown) later fused to the former world as the Western continent appears to have one named the nation of Orphen]].

This can perhaps be attributed to the fact that most console RPG publishers are Japanese, indeed Wutai are a near quintessential part of a StandardJapaneseFantasySetting. However, such a place may not stand out so much if the setting includes other non-European Fantasy Counterpart Cultures. It also tends to be less jarring if the setting covers a large geographical area; for example if it spans an entire planet, a FantasyCounterpartCulture of Japan or China is no less likely than one of a European culture. KatanasAreJustBetter, EverythingsBetterWithSamurai, and GratuitousNinja are related phenomena. See also JidaiGeki and FarEast.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2'' has the second level in the [[BigBoosHaunt Pumpkin Zone]], which resembles a Japanese house with a graveyard. Its filled to the brim with {{Youkai}} as enemies.

** ''VideoGame/MarioParty 7'' has Pagoda Peak. This board's gimmick is that the price for the Star goes up every time someone reaches the top of the peak, going from 10, to 20, to 30, to 40, until it resets back to 10.

* The ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' gives us Agatea; a whole continent which is a FantasyCounterpartCulture for everything Far Eastern or Oriental on our world. The Japanese aspects are a mishmash of UpToEleven Japan, taken from various points over the country's history, culture, and folklore, thrown into a blender, churned, and then poured out to see what emerges.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'' has World 4, the Chai Kingdom, with a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkMZx8M8Bng music track]] that fits the theme and Pionpi enemies that resemble {{Chinese Vampire}}s.

Wutai is the village/country/continent in a MedievalEuropeanFantasy world which has inexplicably (and suspiciously) [[FantasyCounterpartCulture fashioned]] itself off JidaiGeki. Filled with {{youkai}}, UsefulNotes/{{onmyodo}}, {{geisha}}, {{ninja}} and/or {{samurai}}, this is where {{katanas|AreJustBetter}}, oni, [[AsianFoxSpirit kitsune]], pagodas and sushi all pour out into the rest of the world.

Wutai is the village/country/continent in a MedievalEuropeanFantasy world which has inexplicably (and suspiciously) [[FantasyCounterpartCulture fashioned]] itself off JidaiGeki. Filled with {{youkai}}, UsefulNotes/{{onmyodo}}, {{geisha}}, {{ninja}} and/or {{samurai}}, this is where {{katanas|AreJustBetter}}, oni, {{kitsune}}, pagodas and sushi all pour out into the rest of the world.

** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' takes it even further, with one of the two main factions, Hoshido, based mainly on feudal Japan and including autonomous villages belonging to {{kitsune}} and diviners inside its territory. It helps that Myrmidons are even ''called'' Samurai in this game, and all of the characters who start off with the newly introduced Ninja class are from Hoshido, too. Mages have likewise been rechristened Diviners and promote to [[UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}} Onmyoji]] (the game's equivalent of the Sage class). [[YouMeanXmas Seasonal variants]] of some of the Hoshidan characters that appear in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes'' push the FantasyCounterpartCulture angle even more, particularly when it comes to celebrating the new year: shrine visits and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O-mikuji paper fortunes]] are mentioned, and "Happy New Year!" in Hoshidan is the same as it is Japanese ("Kinga shinnen!").

* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', the continent of Akavir serves as this as to the primarily European inspired Tamriel (where all of the games to date have taken place). Akavir, per in-game sources, is a mishmash of Chinese (Ka Po' Tun), Japanese (Tsaesci), and less prominent Indian (Tang Mo) and Mongol (Kamal) {{Fantasy Counterpart Culture}}s. In the {{backstory}}, some of the Akaviri races have attempted to invade Tamriel several times, but have always been defeated. They are said to have left behind [[KatanasAreJustBetter Japanese styled weaponry]] and inspired the Blades, a knightly order of spies and bodyguards to the Emperor who have significant Samurai influences. Because of the past invasions, the citizens have Tamriel have some very YellowPeril inspired beliefs about Akavir. However, neither Akavir nor any of the Akaviri races have appeared to date in-game in the series to date.[[note]]This is more justified than in many western fantasy settings, as the provinces of Tamriel do draw on very different cultural backgrounds for inspiration. Whilst Cyrodiil and High Rock are typical medieval fantasy settings (High Rock being more British and Cyrodiil being more Roman), Hammerfell is grounded in ArabianNightsDays, and Skyrim has a similar (but distinct) Norse theme, Morrowind based on Roman-occupied Judea and Mesopotamia, and the other provinces which have not been shown in games are shown to have very different cultures.[[/note]]

** The series has Yukumo Village, introduced in ''Portable 3rd'' and brought back in ''Generations''. It is a village designed in the style of feudal Japan whose main attraction is a small lake of hot spring water in which hunters can take a shower to improve their stats prior to a hunting quest. Despite being a popular touristic destination, in ''Portable 3rd'' it's being affected by an invasion of Zinogre specimens, often roaming in the nearby Misty Peaks, and the single-player story of ''Portable 3rd'' revolves around mitigating this problem (the multiplayer campaign leads to the reveal of the true source of the problem: [[spoiler:an elder dragon called Amatsu which drove away the Zinogre from ''their'' actual habitat]]). Things are a little better in ''Generations'', where instead of Zinogre the ongoing problem is a Leviathan known as Mizutsune. Lastly, though Yukumo doesn't appear in ''3 Ultimate'', the nearby Misty Peaks area does.

* ''Anime/SaberMarionetteJ'': Japoness.

** The sourcebook ''Oriental Adventures'' details Asiatic lands further, with their own races, classes, and politics. The 3rd edition even presents ''Rokugan'' (originally from ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings'') as a ''D&D'' setting featuring nothing but this. The trope is played straight if one is playing ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' and feels like visiting the ''Rokugan'' world.

* In ''[[VideoGame/AnnoDomini 1701 A.D.: The Sunken Dragon]]'' -- the Asian empire features prominently.

* ''VideoGame/ChameleonTwist'': Great Edo Land in ''Chameleon Twist 2''.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyLegendII'': The Edo plane, complete with a black market in opium (bananas in the English version).

* ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet'': The Islands.
* ''VideoGame/MushroomMen'': Shiitake Town . Technically, it's found in the same, [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield vaguely-located town]] of Meteor Falls as the rest of the game, but it's where the ninja-like Shiitake Warriors live. Oh, and it's made out of [[MouseWorld old sushi boxes]].
* ''Website/{{Neopets}}'' has one, Shenkuu.

* ''VideoGame/{{Painkiller}} Overdose'': The second level, Japanese Massacre, is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin.

* ''The Rance universe''. JAPAN is the East Asian-themed land. Of course, ''VideoGame/SengokuRance'', appropriately enough, takes place in JAPAN.

* ''VideoGame/SaGaFrontier'': Kyo, home to the Mind Magic dojo and at least one OpiumDen. [[spoiler: It's more like a drug factory run by a minion of the BigBad]]

* ''[[VideoGame/ShadowHearts Shadow Hearts: From The New World]]'': {{Lampshaded}} when you visit [[McNinja Frank Goldfinger]]'s home town in Brazil and find out that [[spoiler:it's a cheesy Japan-themed amusement park.]]
* ''VideoGame/TheSims''
** ''VideoGame/TheSims 2'' adds one in the ''Bon Voyage'' ExpansionPack called Takemizu Village.
** ''VideoGame/TheSims3'' adds one in the ''World Adventures'' ExpansionPack called Shang Simla, where you can practice kung fu and discover tombs.

* Rainy Turtloid's stage from ''VideoGame/MegaManX6'' sets in a futuristic feudal Japan-based area.
* Suijin from ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''.
* One NES game based on ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'', ''[[VideoGame/TheFlintstonesTheRescueOfDinoAndHoppy The Rescue of Dino and Hoppy]]'', has the usual platform environments of jungles, ice, sea etc. but one level appears to be the prehistoric version of feudal Japan, complete with sakura trees, karateka and even {{karakasa}}. At the end Fred must fight a sumo fire-breathing [[DinosaursAreDragons dragon]].

* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'':
** Mizuho. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] when one of the characters convinces the others that they'll be visiting TheThemeParkVersion of Feudal Japan, much to the irritation of the one character who's actually ''from'' there.
** The hidden Ninja village of ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia''. Note that this game is predominantly Norse in its mythology. This village and Mizuho are strange about isolationism. Both are [[HiddenElfVillage Hidden Ninja Villages]] staying hidden to maintain their culture, but don't seem to mind outsiders coming in.
** Ashihara, the Japanese representant of the culture-mix that is ''VideoGame/TalesOfInnocence''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Tomba}}'': The Hidden Village of {{ninja}}.

* ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'': Yamato.

** ''VideoGame/StoryOfSeasonsTrioOfTowns'' recycles the same gimmick, though it also adds a third town with a Polynesian theme.

%%* The Japan stage of ''VideoGame/DynamiteDux'' fits this trope.

* The Hylotl in ''VideoGame/{{Starbound}}'' have this as their [[PlanetOfHats hat]], with a bit of UsefulNotes/{{Kawaisa}} thrown in.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Azure City, duly [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0209.html lampshaded]] before the characters even get there.
[[/folder]]

** ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' has the Sammer Guy kingdom, modeled after ancient Japan, complete with fitting music, falling cherry blossom leaves, pagodas, an emperor, and ninjas. The goal is to beat 100 Sammer Guys, one at a time, in succession, only being allowed to save after every 25. Of course, the first time you try, [[spoiler:the world is absorbed into nothingness after the 30th Sammer Guy]].

** The plane of Kamigawa has a strong feudal Japanese flavour.

* The [[SpaceElves Eldar]] came across as very Oriental. Their Aspect Warriors train in temples to combat styles named after animals, and if that isn't enough, maybe the curved swords, shuriken guns and back banners might do it for you. They also view the western-stylized humans of the setting as hairy barbarian upstarts, and isolate themselves on their planetoid-sized colony ships. However, since the introduction of the Tau, they've moved away from the Asian theme somewhat, with more influences from [[Myth/CelticMythology Celtic mythology and culture]] being thrown in along with good old [[Creator/JRRTolkien Tolkien-esque]] Elfish-ness.

[[caption-width-right:350:'''99% of the Game:''' {{Cyberpunk}} Dystopia\\
'''This Sidequest:''' Inexplicable Feudal Japan Village]]

* ''VideoGame/StarControl'': The Shofixti are an entire race of fuzzy beings that resemble {{Tanuki}} and present with many other Japanese stereotypes including plenty of {{Engrish}}. To top it off, they use weak-yet-fast ships and have a "Glory Device" that is used to kamikaze their ship as a last resort.

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1638046056039539300 under discussion]] in the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13222107430A61495000&page=1#1 Trope Repair Shop]].]]]]]]

* ''Manga/BlackClover'': Yami Sukehiro comes from an island country called the "Land of the Sun", an obvious reference to Japan's nickname "Land of the Rising Sun". He is the only character in the series with a Japanese name, he wields a katana and he can [[CombatClairvoyance predict people's attacks]] by sensing their {{Chi}}. He was shipwrecked as a child and washed ashore in the MedievalEuropeanFantasy Clover Kingdom.

* ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact'' has the isolationist island nation of Inazuma, complete with samurai, shrine maidens, and loads of cherry blossoms.