A Love That Extends Across Culture and Time: A Guest Post by Poppy Kuroki
Dazzling and transportive, our latest Monthly Pick is a story of love across generations and ancestral ties that bind. Poppy Kuroki has penned an exclusive essay for us on what made her want to write Gate to Kagoshima, down below.
Paperback $17.99
Gate to Kagoshima: A Novel
Gate to Kagoshima: A Novel
By Poppy Kuroki
In Stock Online
Paperback $17.99
In this exciting historical romantasy in the spirit of The Hurricane Wars and The Time Traveler’s Wife—Outlander set in Japan—a young Scottish woman is magically transported to the last Samurai era, where she encounters ghosts from the past, her own Japanese ancestry, and a love that transcends time.
In this exciting historical romantasy in the spirit of The Hurricane Wars and The Time Traveler’s Wife—Outlander set in Japan—a young Scottish woman is magically transported to the last Samurai era, where she encounters ghosts from the past, her own Japanese ancestry, and a love that transcends time.
It all began when I was thirteen, when I encountered a Japan-themed area at EPCOT theme park in Florida. After studying the Japanese language by myself for a bit, I decided to go to university so I could study in Tokyo for a year. After graduation, I moved back to Japan and have been living here for over ten years now.
I wanted to combine my love for this country and its history with my love for writing. Growing up with stories like Titanic, Edward Scissorhands, and Koizora (Sky of Love) gave me a soft spot for forbidden or unconventional romance with heart-wrenching, unforgettable endings. A love that extends across culture and time, a tragic, real-life war, and time travel all came together to become GATE TO KAGOSHIMA.
I wanted to write a story set in the past that was historically accurate, our fictional characters blending into and taking part in real-life events, and an emotional story of loss and hope. The Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 was the perfect setting for this story. I visited Kagoshima City, which is eight hundred miles from my home in Kanagawa, to learn more about this period of history. I spoke with tour guides and even chatted with a descendant of Saigō Takamori (the leader of the rebellion)’s wife. He told me more about Saigō and his enthusiasm and insights were extraordinarily helpful.
The idea of meeting your own ancestors is also fascinating, and something I would love to be able to do if it were possible. As well as experiencing romantic love, Isla discovers her Japanese ancestry, something her late grandfather wanted to do.
I was pleased to be able to write about real samurai as well. The interesting part about the Shimazu clan in 1877 was that though they used swords and obeyed their samurai code of honour, it was a lot different to the stoic, armour-clad warriors we often see in popular media. These were real people, holding on to cultures and traditions that were irrelevant in a society that was modernising and adhering to the rest of the world.
This story floated around as an idea for a while, coming together while I was looking after my newborn son. I took my trip to Kagoshima when he was a couple of months old, and I finished the manuscript in late 2022. It was challenging at times, especially when I was unsure about small historical details and had to do some digging, but it was very rewarding. I’m pleased that GATE TO KAGOSHIMA is now out there in the world and people can learn about the Satsuma Rebellion as well as enjoying Isla and Kei’s story.
