Japanese Studies Reference Tools: Maps

A large collection of medium to high resolution images of maps and plans of Aichi and Nagoya primarily from the Edo and Meiji periods.

Includes 2500 maps of Japan, China, Korea and the world dating from early Edo through Shōwa. Maps were collected by Koreto Ashida (1877-1960), a pioneer in Japanese topography. Over 90% are regional maps. Search is organized by region and chronology (no free keyword). High and medium resolution images. Comprehensive annotation of background information and bibliographical references.

This online collection of Japanese Historical Maps from the University of California, Berkeley, contains over 1100 images of maps and books of early Japan and the world.

Launched through Harvard University in 2001 to provide a GIS platform for scholarly and scientific research. Japan GIS resources are linked from this homepage, and include numerous historical maps, Tokugawa data, and links to other Japan-related geographical resources.

ECAI Atlas Teams of area specialists, in conjunction with ECAI Technical Teams, are producing an interactive electronic atlas of the world from which selected data from regions, eras, and disciplines can be instantaneously accessed. Provides access to a wide range of global information, enabling integrated scholarly analysis of primary resources.

This system was constructed by the Ecosystem Informatics Division of NIAES from nearly 900 map sheets of the Jinsoku Sokuzu (迅速測図), or Rapid Survey Maps, Japan's first topographic maps depicting large regions. The Jinsoku Sokuzu cover most of the Kanto Plain surrounding Tokyo. These colorful maps provide detailed land use information for both rural and urban Japan in the 1880s. A link to Google Earth allows the viewer to overlay them with present day boundaries and landformations.

High resolution images, including bomb damage - Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection)

An early Meiji copy of maps done by Ino Tadataka （1745-1818).

This database contains information found primarily in maps of early modern (mid-16th-mid-19th centuries) Japanese cities. Searchable by region, time period, map name, map location, and form (published, hand-drawn, unknown).

The University of British Columbia's Rare Books and Special Collections holds 285 digitized maps of the Japanese Tokugawa period, ca. 1600-1867. This collection does not contain many government or administrative maps, and focuses primarily on privately published and travel related maps and guides published in Japan during the Tokugawa or Edo period. Maps can be zoomed.

This site provides downloadable vector data on Japan, collected and assembled by the Geospatial Information (GSI) Authority of Japan.

This site allows users to view areas of Japan through a variety of filters, such as topographical data, historical aerial photos, and modern street maps, and layer them atop one another.

Digital collection of former Japanese military maps of the Asia-Pacific region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Current maps of Japan which can be generated from address, prefecture, landmark names, zip code, train station or street name. It can also provide distance measurements and map routes which combine different modes of transportation (eg: train and foot).

Current maps of all Japanese regions and prefectures. When zoomed closely there are clickable restaurants and medical clinics, in addition to other points of interest.

Current maps and satellite images of Japan. Test your knowledge of Tokyo geography.