Japan

Japan is a country, that mainly appeared in **Island** Part 1 and in other webtoons like **Burning Hell**.

## Background

Japan is known for its advanced technology, rich cultural traditions, and unique cuisine. It has a constitutional monarchy with an Emperor as a symbol of the state. Japan is a major player in the global economy and has a deep influence on pop culture. It is the eleventh most populous country in the world, as well as one of the most densely populated. About three-fourths of the country's terrain is mountainous, concentrating its highly urbanized population on narrow coastal plains. The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world.

### Geography

An island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north toward the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, and Taiwan in the south, and China from the east.

Japan is divided into 8 regions, further divided into 47 prefectures, which then can be split into municipalities and special wards.

#### Known Regions & Locations

Below is a list of all the regions and locations that have been mentioned in the Super String Universe.

* Kyushu Region
	+ Fukuoka Prefecture
		- Fukuoka - location where they did human experiments on Yun Dong-Ju for trials for the dysentery vaccine.
* Kantō Region
	+ Tokyo
		- Shibuya - a special ward and is the location where Marco Polo and Wolhyang travel to a different dimension for the first time.
			* Omotesando - an avenue where Fujita tries to force Marco Polo to go to find particular keys.
		- Shinjuku - a special ward of Tokyo.
			* Toyama - the location where they excavated the skulls as well as where the original Army Medical College was located back in World War 2. It is also the place where the National Institute of Infectious Diseases is located.
		- Ome - the place where the Japanese government tried to get rid of the Shinjuku Skulls via cremation in a regular funeral home. The salesman is able to steals the skulls there. In the Webtoon, it translates to Umekoshi, but there is no such place. In the Chinese Webtoon, it's 梅市, which would refer to Ome.
	+ Chiba Prefecture
		- Narita Airport - the airport where Miho arranges for Johan's plane to temporary land so the Yakuza can drug him so he ends up going to Jeju Island instead.
* Okinawa - as Miho is on the helicopter with Butler Jang, she ponders how it would only take one hour to arrive to Okinawa form Jeju Island. However, she tells the chopper to turn around to save Johan.
* Kanagawa Prefecture
	+ Yokohama Port - it is the place where Seonggyu Choi (Reawakened Man), the Vice-President of the Dowon Group, receives a call to notify him that the previous Dowon Group chairman was arrested.
* Chūbu Region
	+ Nagano Prefecture
		- Ubasute Mountain - Ubasute is the common name for Mount Kamuriki, a 1,252 m (4,108 ft) mountain peak on the border of the city of Chikuma and the village of Chikuhoku in Nagano. The mountain is strongly associated with the Ubasute Legend referenced to in Blade of the Phantom Master, when Munsu encounters the Obaste Tribe in the mountains.
* Kansai Region
	+ Osaka - a tourist group from Osaka visits Jeju Island and the whole group is killed by the Shinjuku Skull that the serial killer smuggles into the bus through one of the little girls in the tour group when they are in Seongsan Sunrise Peak, Jeju Island.
* Chugoku Region
	+ Hiroshima - It is mentioned that one of the Shinjuku Skulls is placed in a glass case in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
* Dokdo (Liancourt Rocks) - disputed set of Islands between **Japan** and Korea mentioned in Burning Hell (Webtoon).

### History

Below is an overview of Japan's history. As suggested by interacnetwork, the historical periods of Japan can be broken down into four for organizational sake.

Note: Most of the historical periods don't have much influence to the Super String Universe, so are only briefly described. Perhaps the only two eras/periods that have more signifcance are the Edo Period and the end of the Showa Period (World War 2) and Post-War Period. Events with a diamond-shape (♦️) at the end indicate that they are events related to the Webtoons.

* Ancient Japan
	+ Jōmon Period (Before 1,000 BC)
	+ Yayoi Period (1,000 BC – 250 AD)
	+ Kofun Period (250-538 AD) - The first era of recorded history in Japan. Characterized by large burial mounds, the Kofun were headed by a aristocratic warlords.
* Classical Japan
	+ Asuka Period (538-710 AD) - Buddhism came to Japan as did the Chinese writing system. At this time, society was divided into clans.
	+ Nara Period (710-794 AD) - The first strong central government developed. In terms of religion, the aristocratic class practiced Buddhism and Chinese calligraphy, while agricultural villagers followed Shintoism.
	+ Heian Period (794-1185 AD) - Japan began to develop its own unique culture of art, poetry and prose. It was during this time that the samurai warrior class arose.
* Medieval Japan
	+ Kamakura Shogunate (1185-1333) - Samurai lords, called "shoguns", began taking over the government and ruled Japan in the name of the emperor
	+ Muromachi Period (1338-1573 AD)
	+ Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603 AD)
	+ Edo Period (1603-1868 AD) (♦️)
		- Mito, the blacksmith from Blade of the Phantom Master who can create the medallions for the Royal Inspectors, was based on Mito Kōmon (also known as Tokugawa Mitsukuni), a daimiyo under Edo Bakufu’s founder, Tokugawa Ieyasu. He was responsible for assembling the Mitogaku scholars to compile the Dai Nihonshi, a book on the history of Japan redacting the history from Emperor Jimmu, the legendary first emperor of Japan, to Emperor Go-Komatsu after the merging of the Southern Court and Northern Court in 1392. During the latter half of the Edo period and the Meiji period, there were fictionalized accounts of the travel of Mito Kōmon in the tale named "Mito Mitsukuni Man'yūki". This was later continued with a novel and, in 1951, into a television series, portraying him as an Angyo Onshi (Japanese version of Korean Royal Inspects) in Japan. According to the show, after retiring as a daimyo, he would travel with friends to correct injustices, much like the Royal Inspectors. Just like Royal Inspectors would flash their medallions as proof of their identity, Mito would display a jewel box that had the Tokugawa family seal. However, in the Webtoon, Mito was neither a daimiyo nor a Royal Inspector, but more of a sorcerer, but like Mito Kōmon, he does have a strong sense of justice.
		- Musashi, the Hapki creator who trains Sando under Ajitae's request, is most like based off of Miyato Musashi, one of the most famous and revered swordsmen in Japanese history during the tumultuous Sengoku and early Edo periods. He was a ronin, a masterless samurai, and was best known for his exceptional skills in martial arts, particularly in swordsmanship.
* Modern Japan
	+ Meiji Period (1868-1912 AD)
	+ Taisho and Early Showa Period (1912-1945 AD)
		- World War 2
		- Unit 731 is attacked by America in World War 2. ♦️
	+ Postwar Period (since 1945 AD)
		- 1989 - X-Japan Band debuts. ♦️
		- 1989 - Construction on Toyama, Shinjukiu begins on the 22nd of July and the skulls are found. (♦️)

### Folklore and Mythology

* Mountain Spirits
* Gashadokuro (がしゃどくろ) - a giant skeleton. It seems to be the motif used for one of the Black Wing Clan members that Van summons to destroy Victor Vasarely in outer space. The Black Wing Clan version holds a large hammer and has various arms.
* Ubasute - the practice in Japan of carrying the elderly to a mountain, left there to die (similar to Goryeojang in Korea). During Munsu's travel in Blade of the Phantom Master, he comes across the Obaste Tribe in the Obaste mountain, who do the same thing of leaving their elderly to die in the mountains.

## Characters from Here

**Arase Aikawa****Hanatsu Seinan****Jyu****Kyoichi Uchida****Okazaki****Tadashi Kojima****Tsurara Fuyuki**

## Organizations/Groups

* Doyoda Corporation - the corporation that visit Jeju Island to discuss potential business the Daehan Group. Taehan asks his daughter, Miho Won to help receive the guests and to do the business presentation.
* Interpol
* Japan's Self-Defense Force
* Mainichi Shimbun (Japan Daily News) - one of the major newspapers in Japan. Sujin looks through their website to find an article back in the 1980s to find information on the Shinjuku Skulls.
* Samurai - the samurai were a group of warriors during the Edo period. Jyu, from Burning Hell (Webtoon), was exiled to the Burning Hell island for killing thousands of samurai.
* Tokyo School of Arts - school where Miho Won was sent to study for two years where she learned Japanese and got into Japanese art.
* Unit 731 - An unit of the Japanese government back in World War 2 that conducted various human experiments for the sake of biochemical weapons. They Shinjuku Skulls are a evidence of them using Korean prisoners of war to conduct their experiments as the skulls have holes drill into them and coated in formaldehyde.
* X-Japan Band - a famous rock band in Japan back in the 1980s with five members. Sujin apparently had bought one of their albums for Miho.
* Yakuza - the Japanese mafia that Miho Won contracts to help drug Johan at Narita Airport, Japan, and get him to Jeju Island. Marco Polo also encounters them when he is suddenly transported to the main dimension. One of the Yakuza boss almost kills him but is eliminated by Wolhyang.
* National Institute of Infectious Diseases - Located in Toyama, Tokyo.

## Plot Overview

### Burning Hell

The main character Jyu is a Japanese criminal transported to the Island during the Edo period.

### Blade of Phantom Master

During Munsu's travel, he comes across the Obaste Tribe in the Obaste mountain. The name Obaste is a reference to the Ubasute/Obasute practice in Japan of carrying the elderly to a mountain, left there to die.

Furthermore, Mito's character is based on the Japanese on Mito Kōmon (also known as Tokugawa Mitsukuni), a daimiyo under Edo Bakufu’s founder, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Likewise, Musashi, the creator of Hapki, is most likely based off of Miyato Musashi, one of the most famous and revered swordsmen in Japanese history during the tumultuous Sengoku and early Edo periods.

### Island Part 1

In July of 1989, a total of about 103 people died in Japan's Ministry of Health (22 civil servants, 13 civilians, and 68 members of Japan's Self Defense Force).

At some point in time, Miho Won, from the Daehan Group, was sent to the Tokyo School of Arts in High School for two years where she learned Japanese and got into Japanese art.

In search of someone to take care of the obsession spirit, Miho asks his butler to search for an exorcists. It just so happens that Johan was travelling to Korea to find his birth parents and had a stop at the Narita Airport in Japan. There at the airport, Miho Won hires the Yakuza to drug him and place him on a flight to Jeju Island.

After Miho had been sent by his father to Jeju Island, he asks her to take care of the business partners that the Doyoda Corporation was sending over to discuss a business deal with the Daehan Group. Taehan Won, Miho's father, asks Miho to take care of the guess and do the business presentation. The killer leaves a Shinjuku Skull as a gift to Miho and as she opens it, it kills and melts all the Doyoda executives.

### Terror Man

Though there is no mention of Japan, Tsurara Fuyuki, presumably is Japanese as she has a Japanese name. She also uses the kunai as a weapon, which is a Japanese weapon.

### Island Part 2

The Disaster Preparation Committee (DPC) is mentioned partnering together with the Japanese experts to research on the Halla volcano erupting. However, the conclusion was that the volcano was not active (as it was an illusion all along).

### Reawakened Man

It seems Seonggyu Choi, the Vice-President of the Dowon Group, was stationed in Japan in order to avoid attention from the Korean government. At Yokohama Port, he receives a call notifying him that Taejoon Park (Dowon Group Ex-Chairman) had been arrested. He decides to head back to Korea.

### My Nights Shine Brighter Than Your Days

One of the hostesses in Dasom, Sujin, mentions that her brother is studying in Japan and thus she is working to pay off the loan, at one point being scolded by Madam Byeon for trying to milk a customer outside work hours for more money, which is usually fine, however the customer found out and wanted a refund. Madam Byeon punished her by withholding her pay for 3 months, but Miwoo helped pay for the loss.

Furthermore, during Siwoo’s time in YTT, she and the ace of YTT, Sunye are assigned to a group of Japanese customers. Siwoo was hoping to learn from the ace as much as possible, but since the customers only spoke Japanese and Sunye, likewise, could speak Japanese, Siwoo was not able to gain much from their conversation.

### Super String: Marco Polo's Travel to Multiverse

Marco Polo is teleported by the OZ medallion to the Tokyo in the main dimension. There he fights Fujita and Nakano and with Ozakazi travels to Omotesando where he meets ups with father Polena.

### Kangtawoo

Bongchun is seen reading a robot manga from Japan. He tells the Daehan Group Manager, Manager Park, about how his father had travelled and lived in Japan for a while.

## Trivia

* In the original manga version, the Doyoda Corporation was actually Toyota (the car company), but probably because of copywrite issues, it was changed to Doyoda instead.

## Gallery

Add no more than 6 images

Shinjuku SkullsShinjuku SkullsUnit 731Unit 731Tsurara FuyukiTsurara FuyukiOkazakiOkazakiArase AikawaArase AikawaKyoichi UchidaKyoichi Uchida
Full Gallery Page
## References

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_regions\_of\_Japan
4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative\_divisions\_of\_Japan
5. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 59
6. ↑ Super String: Marco Polo's Travel to Multiverse (Webtoon), Ep.3
7. ↑ Super String: Marco Polo's Travel to Multiverse (Webtoon), Ep.4
8. ↑ Island, Part 2, Ep.48
9. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 59
10. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 18
11. ↑ Island, Part 2, Ep.59
12. ↑ Reawakened Man, Season 1, Ep.46
13. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount\_Kamuriki
14. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep.40
15. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep.71
16. ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/japan-facts-and-history-195581
17. ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/japan-facts-and-history-195581
18. ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/japan-facts-and-history-195581
19. ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/japan-facts-and-history-195581
20. ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/japan-facts-and-history-195581
21. ↑  According to Inwan Youn's footnotes in the original manga version
22. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dai\_Nihonshi
23. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa\_Mitsukuni#Mito\_K%C5%8Dmon
24. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 53
25. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 45
26. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 53
27. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubasute
28. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 30 (in the original manga version, it was translated as Toyota, but probably because of copywrite issues, it was changed to Doyoda.)
29. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan\_Self-Defense\_Forces
30. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainichi\_Shimbun
31. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 45
32. ↑ Burning Hell, Ep.1
33. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 31
34. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 53
35. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X\_Japan
36. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 45
37. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakuza
38. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 18
39. ↑ Super String: Marco Polo's Travel to Multiverse (Webtoon), Ep.3
40. ↑ Island, Part 2, Ep.48
41. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubasute
42. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep.33
43. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 31
44. ↑ Island, Part 1, Ep. 30
45. ↑ Island, Part 2, Ep.50
46. ↑ Reawakened Man, Season 1, Ep.46
47. ↑ My Nights Shine Brighter Than Your Days, Season 1, Ep.3
48. ↑ My Nights Shine Brighter than Your Days, Season 2, Ep.17
49. ↑ Kangtawoo, Epilogue