Why is Sinnoh called Hisui?

Clear and simply – Sinnoh used to be known as the Hisui region in ancient times. As a passionate Pokémon gamer and content creator, uncovering insights into the history and lore behind the games we love is part of what makes this franchise so special. So let‘s dig into the roots of Hisui and why this land eventually became known as Sinnoh.

Arceus Mythology in Ancient Hisui

Evidence shows Hisui residents revered the mythical Pokémon Arceus as an "Almighty" deity that created their land. In fact, myths indicate Arceus may have formed the entire Pokémon world!

As a gamer, I find these creation legends fascinating when you consider we‘re talking about the very origins of this fictional universe we love exploring. And Arceus clearly still holds significance in modern Sinnoh, being part of the dragon trio starters and even the Arc Phone in PLA.

But people in ancient Hisui took Arceus worship even more seriously. We‘re talking rituals, effigies, the whole deal! Cynthia herself alludes to the fervent spiritual nature of her Hisuian ancestors. Makes you wonder if she‘d fit right in back then!

Anyway, the point is the name Hisui ties strongly to this mythology around Arceus as Hisui‘s creator. Let‘s get into the name itself…

The Meaning Behind Hisui

Hisui (祕邃) translates to "hidden, profound" which matches the mystical Himuka belief system in PLA. And if you dig into Japanese, Hisui (翡翠) can also mean jade – a nod to Arceus‘s green color scheme maybe?

As a gamer, I‘m fascinated by how these subtle etymological references influenced the choice of Hisui as ancient Sinnoh‘s name, linking back to Arceus, jade crystals, and a sense of otherworldy mystique.

Game Freak clearly put a TON of thought into building out this lore! Makes me even more hyped to discover Scarlet/Violet‘s region inspiration!

Differences From Modern Landmarks

Now obviously the Hisui map mirrors modern Sinnoh‘s geography. But there ARE striking changes in settlements and landmarks between then and now:

As you can see, Jubilife started as a tiny village before expanding into a bustling city. And Canalave didn‘t even EXIST in ancient times! Makes you wonder how modern Sinnoh came to look the way it does now…

I‘d guess other major population growth and technological advances occurred over the centuries altering Hisui‘s landscape substantially. Would be amazing to see a game showing that progression over time!

Ancestors of Modern Characters

We also know ancestors of modern Sinnoh characters lived back in the Hisui era, like Cogita implying she‘s a Rowan ancestor. And let‘s not forget Cynthia‘s suspected ties to Volo!

As a gamer, it‘s so cool seeing these subtle generational links – almost like Hisui/Sinnoh‘s own Assassin‘s Creed Animus if you think about it! Clearly history and bloodlines play a major role in how this land and its people evolved over time.

I‘d personally LOVE to trace even more modern family trees back to their Hisuian roots. Who knows, maybe Looker has an eccentric antique Galaxy uniform passed down centuries haha!

Hisui to Sinnoh – Honoring the Mythical Creator

So how DID Hisui become Sinnoh then? Well there‘s no official confirmation, but as a gamer I speculate that over time, the role of Pokémon and humans continued evolving until Hisui finally took on the name Sinnoh to honor the mythical creator Arceus.

After all, Sinnoh translates roughly to "faith, trust" – quite fitting for a land shaped by spiritual legends tied to Arceus! Makes sense its current name would reflect that deep history.

This also explains why so many myths centered around the deity trio still persist in modern Sinnoh culture. Those roots trace all the way back to those ancient Hisui beliefs!

Of course we can‘t say for sure when or why the exact renaming occurred. But I‘d bet real-world currency it has EVERYTHING to do with that Hisuian lore around Arceus!

Could Hisui Return?

So now for the big question every gamer is asking – will we ever see Hisui again outside PLA?

Personally I‘d LOVE some DLC exploring more of ancient Sinnoh‘s history. Rare form hunts in long-gone Hisuian landscapes? Sign me UP! Not to mention seeing old ancestors we recognize like Cogita again would be epic.

And who knows, maybe the anime will work in a Hisui appearance someday! Could be an awesome Origin‘s-style arc with young Cyrus or Cynthia cameos!

As a gamer and content creator, the possibilities excite me to no end. And unlocking the secrets behind Hisui‘s history makes me even more eager to discover what Scarlet/Violet have in store this fall!

Let me know what you think – have I convinced you on Sinnoh originally being Hisui? And what are YOUR theories for why the name changed over time? Which ancestors or areas do you hope to see someday if we revisit ancient Sinnoh? Sound off in the comments!