Austin Keane

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Austin Keane is a writer who has immersed himself in East Asian mythology, history and folklore and emerged to produce something completely original--a fantasy novel based on Asian myth. His story of Kith-sei Ra, a prince of a minor kingdom, and Zoma Aranda, captures the struggle of two great warriors to unify the war-torn land of Aora. 

Find out more about "The Sword of the Crystal Fox"

*Note to literary agents: Austin Keane is currently looking for someone to represent him for the publishing of his completed novel. He can be contacted here.

Nara -1300

Nara -1300

This year Nara celebrates its 1,300 year. Well, to be more precise it is the 1,300th year since Nara was founded as the capital of Yamato (or early Japan). At the time it was called Heijokyo, and it was located a little to the west of where the modern city of Nara stands. I had an opportunity to go to the celebrations for this event. What they did was recreate the buildings that made up the palace within Heijokyo. This included the southern gate, and also the imperial hall at the north of the city. It was pretty amazing because it really took you back in time.

In all appearances, it looked exactly like a Chinese city. This makes sense because it was the outright intention of the Japanese to imitate Chinese city planning. It reinforces the notion that – for some unkown reason – the Japanese have always been a nation of imitators. You must also consider that at the time Japan was merely a fledgling state that paled in power to the great Chinese--it made sense to copy those who were more advanced. And copy they did—the cities, the writing system, the religion (Buddhism), and much more so that by the end of the Nara period Japan had pretty much “caught up.” That was when many of the diplomatic missions petered out and Japan began cultivating its own culture in the Heian period. This pattern would be echoed in later ages (think Meiji era). If you get a chance, pop down to Nara!

The cave of Shitoto

This is a cave where the famous Japanese head of the Genji clan, Yoritomo, hid out for a few days.It is located in the mountains west of Odawara, near Tokyo.

Earthquakes and Elegance

The weather is very warm today near Tokyo. In the seaside town I'm in, the warm breeze that's blowing across the trees is almost tropical. The plum blossoms have bloomed. The ripe mandarin oranges hang from the trees. The sun filters through the smoke from burning leaves. 

There is chanting emanating from the Shinto shrine nearby. You can get to this shrine by climbing a long flight of stone steps.It's good it's in a high place--if there were ever an earthquake here the tsunami would thrash the seaside.

I don't know why I think about disaster in a scene so beautiful, but you have to understand that this type of thing is very likely to happen. The last time a major earthquake hit the Tokyo area was in 1923, and they say that there has been a mega-quake every 70 years. Which would mean we are seven years beyond the predicted time. But generations have continued to live along the seaside, knowing that there is likely disaster to come.

The beauty of the landscape fools us into thinking that we will somehow be protected. Or we just accept fate as something that cannot be stopped.

A poster promoting Nara in

A poster promoting Nara in the Tokyo subway system.

Yamato in Nara

There has long been debate about exactly where Yamato, the ancient Japanese kingdom that Himiko ruled, was located. Was it in present-day Nara prefecture, or on the island of Kyushu? It's hard to believe that such a large piece of Japanese history remains a mystery. Until now, perhaps.

A couple of months ago, Japanese archaeologists discovered the remains of an ancient palace in the city of Sakurai in Nara Prefecture. Read the article here.

In addition, the recent discovery of broken pieces from 81 bronze mirrors in Sakurai could be the remains of  a gift that the Chinese Wei Dynasty was said to have given Princess Himiko. The evidence is stacking up towards a Nara-based Yamato. Which is just fine with me. 

It is a time when

It is a time when Japan is rethinking its relationship to China. Long ago--around 1,300 years ago—Japan was a fledgling nation, and China was the center of culture and power.

I found a nice poem in the Manyoshu depicting the departure of a Japanese envoy for the great Empire to the west. It was indeed an adventure at the time, and full of risks:

Since the age of the gods it has always been said
That the Land of Yamato is
A land where Sovereign-Gods hold solemn sway,
A land where the word-soul brings us weal:
Not only has it been so told from mouth to mouth,
But all of us see and know it now.

Though many are the worthy men,
Our Sovereign, like the sun of heaven,
Out of his godlike love and favour,
Has chosen you, my lord,
A scion of a minister’s house.
Now you go upon your journey
To China, the distand land,
Faithful to his dread commands.
(1,000 Poems of the Manyoshu, Dover Publications)

From reading this poem (written in 733) you can tell it was a time when Japan was just starting to feel confident as a nation. They were starting to become more than just a smattering of disconnected kingdoms, and rather a country that was worthy of having diplomatic relations with great powers.

Japan originally saw itself in relation to China, and for the past hundred years or so it has seen itself in relation to the U.S. and the West. As China grows in power, Japan will rethink its role in the world. Will there be another evolution in identity?

Evening sky

Snow across Asia

Just like the rest of the world, snow is blanketing Asia. Record snows have been reported in China and Korea. In Japan . . snow seems to be falling in the north and by the Sea of Japan, but not in Tokyo. It seems I'm just on the edge of the storm.

An interesting building popped up

An interesting building popped up in the middle of Shinjuku.The landscape changes so quickly in this city.Can you believe it's a school?

Grave of Cao Cao

If this news item is true (not concocted by the Chinese government) then it is pretty amazing. They have found the grave of Cao Cao, the famous general from The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I love his quote about “better to wrong the world.” I modeled the character of Zoma Aranda a bit on him so it is great to get this new information!