Inaba

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Inaba is a location in the Persona series. It is a fictional city in Japan where the plot of Persona 4 takes place.

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Historically, Inaba was first established as a mountain castle town during the Sengoku period. During the modern times, it became a coal mine, though by the beginning of Persona 4, the mine has since long been shut down.[1] The major landmark is Mt. Yasogami, the local plant is cattail, and its animal is the rabbit due to a large number of rabbits found along the Samegawa.[2] Inaba's town specialties include dyed clothing and pottery, as well as the Amagi Inn.[3] The plot of Persona 4 takes place primarily in the Inaba city center, which is a flat area surrounded by mountains called Yasoinaba.[4]

Places of Interest

Yasoinaba Station

Yasoinaba Station is the train station that the protagonist arrives and departs from. It is the terminus stop on the Inaba Line which also includes Higashiinaba and Okina. The protagonist transferred to the Inaba Line at the Yasogami Foothills terminal after riding the Atorasu train on an unnamed train line.

Yasogami High School

Main article: Yasogami High School

Yasogami High is where the Investigation Team attends school during the day time from Monday to Saturday. After school, the protagonist can work on his Social Links with his classmates and members of his school clubs.

Central Shopping District

Main article: Central Shopping District

The Central Shopping District is made up of smaller, local businesses and a small shrine. The protagonist can visit the area to shop for items and equipment, plus other activities.

Junes Department Store

Main article: Junes

Junes is a large chain department store in the Persona universe. The protagonist and his friends use Junes as their hideout and enter the TV World from the electronics department thanks to the large TV.

Samegawa Flood Plain

Main article: Samegawa Flood Plain

The Samegawa is a river that runs through Inaba. The protagonist can visit the flood plain and river bank for quests, events, and to go fishing.

Dojima Residence

Main article: Dojima Residence

The Dojima Residence is where the protagonist lives during his year long stay in Inaba. At the house, he can study, do some part-time jobs in his bedroom, socialize with his uncle and cousin, and use the home shopping TV program.

Amagi Inn

Main article: Amagi Inn

The Amagi Inn is a traditional style Japanese inn with an outdoor hot springs bath run by Yukiko Amagi's family. The inn is the last known location of the first murder victim, Mayumi Yamano.

Inaba Police Department

Main article: Inaba Police Department

The local police station is the workplace of Ryotaro Dojima and Tohru Adachi. While not a playable location, it is visited multiple times during the plot, and is a setting in the anime and audio dramas.

Inaba Municipal Hospital

Main article: Inaba Municipal Hospital

The protagonist can go to the hospital from the bus stop in the Central Shopping District for the Devil Social Link. Through the Devil, he can also unlock the Death Social Link. The hospital is not a playable location, but it becomes a major story location during the November and December plot.

Hilltop

This unnamed hilltop that overlooks Inaba is visited during story events such as the end of summer fireworks viewing, and is also the location of the Temperance Social Link.

Mount Yasogami

Mount Yasogami is a major local landmark, famous for fabric dye and pottery.[5]

Ski Resort

Exclusive to Persona 4 Golden. During February, the Investigation Team visits an unnamed ski resort in Inaba. If the player has unlocked the Hollow Forest, they can access it by traveling to the mountain cabin near the ski resort and entering the TV there.

Game Appearances

Persona 4

Inaba serves as the main gameplay map of Persona 4 and is where the plot primarily takes place. The protagonist arrives in Inaba and begins living with his uncle and cousin while he attends high school. As the game events unfold, he gains the ability to travel around Inaba and visit Junes, the Central Shopping District, and the Samegawa Flood Plain. Getting a night time job also helps the protagonist get his uncle's approval to go out at night.

Persona 4 Golden

In Golden, the protagonist gets a scooter during the new June storyline. From the Dojima residence, he can ride the scooter far from Inaba and visit the nearby Okina or go all the way to Shichiri Beach. During the new February storyline, there is also an unnamed ski resort in Inaba that the protagonist visits with his friends.

This section contains spoilers. (Skip Section)

In the new Golden epilogue, Marie has become Inaba's news channel weather forecaster who uses her powers to change the weather.

End of spoilers.

Persona 4 Arena

In Arena, Yu Narukami comes back to Inaba to visit during Golden Week.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

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Persona 4: Dancing All Night

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Trivia

  • Although Inaba is fictional, it has multiple real world inspirations:
    • The legend of the Hare of Inaba from the Kojiki.[6] The legend is associated with the Tottori prefecture in Japan, and the eastern half of Tottori used to be called the Inaba province.[7]
    • Fuefuki City, which Atlus visited and spoke to residents in the shopping district area.[8][9]
    • The unnamed hometown of a developer, referenced while designing the residential area.[10]
  • The Hare of Inaba inspired other elements and names for the fictional setting besides just the name. To reach the mainland, the hare tricks sharks into lining up in the water and forming a bridge for it to cross over. These sharks are known as wanizame or same in Japanese, giving name to the Samegawa. After the hare reveals that it tricked the sharks, one of the sharks rips off the fur on its back. Okuninushi and his brethren, known collectively as the Yasogami, happen to be passing by. Their name is where Yasogami High School comes from. The Yasogami give the hare poor advice that make its injury worse. Okuninushi gives it serious advice by telling it to use cattail. This is why Inaba's plant is the cattail, and the Fox's healing herbs are also said to be cattail.[11]

Nomenclature

Names in Other Languages
Language Name Meaning
Japanese 稲羽市 Inaba-shi Inaba city

Gallery

References

  1. "Chapter 5: Setting", Persona Club P4, Atlus. Published by Famitsu (2009). Japanese. p. 180-181. ISBN-13: 475774630X.
  2. "Chapter 5: Setting", Persona Club P4, Atlus. Published by Famitsu (2009). Japanese. p. 181. ISBN-13: 475774630X.
  3. "Chie: That's what makes it nice, but there is nothing much we can show to people from outside. Though, there is something from Mt. Yasogami...I think our dyed clothes or pottery or something is kinda famous. Oh wait, and there's the Amagi Inn! Yukiko's family runs it. It's the pride of Inaba!" Persona 4 (PlayStation 2). Developed by Atlus. Published by Atlus. English.
  4. "この山に囲まれた平地一帯は“八十稲羽(やそいなば)”地区と呼ばれ、そこが市の中心部を成している。" "Chapter 5: Setting", Persona Club P4, Atlus. Published by Famitsu (2009). Japanese. p. 181. ISBN-13: 475774630X.
  5. "[4/12] Chie: Though, there is something from Mt. Yasogami... I think our dyed clothes or pottery or something is kinda famous." Persona 4 (PlayStation 2). Developed by Atlus. Published by Atlus. English.
  6. "ゲームの設定上、稲羽市の名前は古事記にある因幡の白兎の説話が元になっている。" "Chapter 5: Setting", Persona Club P4, Atlus. Published by Famitsu (2009). Japanese. p. 180. ISBN-13: 475774630X.
  7. Inaba Province. Retrieved January 13, 2024. Wikipedia. Article.
  8. "今回「ペルソナ4」の開発が始まり、田舎町を舞台にすることが決まった段階で、メインのスタッフは山梨県のF市に取材に行きました。そこがまさしく“谷間の町”で、平日に行ったのに閉まっているお店ばかりで、こんなんで大丈夫なのかと驚いたものです。" "Chapter 5: Setting", Persona Club P4, Atlus. Published by Famitsu (2009). Japanese. p. 181. ISBN-13: 475774630X.
  9. 亨, "Etc". Published 2012. Retrieved 2023. P4 Pilgrimage. Blog.
  10. "田舎町にありそうな和風建築をイメージして外観をデザインしました。じつはあるデザイナーの出身地に実際にあるような民家を参考にしています。" "Chapter 5: Setting", Persona Club P4, Atlus. Published by Famitsu (2009). Japanese. p. 182. ISBN-13: 475774630X.
  11. "Chapter 5: Setting", Persona Club P4, Atlus. Published by Famitsu (2009). Japanese. p. 180-181. ISBN-13: 475774630X.