The National Maps of Japan Compiled by the Tokugawa Shogunate

Japanese Journal of Human Geography (Jimbun Chiri)

Vol. 68 No. 1 (2016) 79–93

The National Maps of Japan Compiled by the Tokugawa Shogunate

KAWAMURA Hirotada*

(Received on 2 November, 2015; Accepted on 6 April, 2016)

I IntroductionII Correcting a Misconception of the So-

called “Keichō Map of Japan”Two types of national maps of Japan in the

early stage of EdoDiary of the Edo-caretaker of the Hagi clanConsistency of Type B and provincial maps

of 1638The inspector national dispatch in 1633 and

the collection of provincial mapsCompilation based on the secondary

reduced small provincial mapsIII The Shōhō Map of Japan: Reproduced

After the Suffering of the Big FireInoue commanded the following map

making project againAppointing a cartographer responsible for

each province

Detailed notification for map-making standards

Suffering as a result of the big fire and reproduction of the national map

IV The Genroku Map Compiled Through the Strict Joining of the BordersNotification on the emphasis of border

mentioningStrict checking of boundaries by officialsRequesting a coastline chart

V The Kyōhō Map According to the Mountain Direction SurveySpecial attention given to the production of

this mapChange in measurement method through a

change of a technical personExistence of the original survey drawing

VI Conclusion

Abstract

In recent years, research on the provincial map and national map of Japan was promoted, and the need

emerged to correct the erroneous conventional view. By the way, introduction to overseas on the map proj-

ects of Edo shogunate was extremely small up to now. Therefore this report is intended to introduce a sum-

mary of the map projects of the shogunate government to the foreign country based on resent new results

of research. Above all, a study would like to report an outcome of new research about the national map of

Japan in Edo early stage when a condition of insufficiency was mistaken up to now. Next, while national map

of Japan in shogunate was edited basically by joining of provincial maps in the whole country, I would like to

make clear the difference in the manners of the joining in each time, and introduce the technical development

process of the edit of national map of Japan.

Key words: so-called Keichō map of Japan, provincial map, Revolt of Shimabara, administrative inspector,

method of direction surveying

* Former professor of Yamaguchi University E-mail: [email protected]

Japanese Journal of Human Geography (Jimbun Chiri) Vol. 68 No. 1 (2016)80

I Introduction

It was a political tradition in Japan for the central government to prepare a complete map and cadastre of the

country. The Tokugawa shogunate adhered to this tradition. The government ordered the major Daimyōs (feu-

dal lords) of each kuni (province) personally to produce their own kuni-ezu (provincial maps), to be hand drawn

in color and presented to the shogunate. From these provincial maps the government compiled a Nihon-sōzu

(日本総図, national map of Japan), which traditionally comprised all 68 provinces. Each shogunate national map

was huge, hand-drawn, and color-coded by province. For a considerable time, until now, the national map of

Japan created by the Tokugawa shogunate government was considered erroneous a total of four times, (during

the Keichō, Shōhō, Genroku, and Kyōhō eras) in all1). This is because it was generally known that the Edo sho-

gunate government collected provincial maps from each province during all these eras, except the Kyōhō era.

During that period, the national map of Japan was edited using the previous Genroku provincial map. Addition-

ally, the shogunate finally collected provincial maps from the provinces during the Tenpō era; however, the map

of Japan was not revised at that time, as Inō’s map already existed.

According to the author’s research, six large projects were undertaken to compile official national maps of

Japan. Any of these can be considered as having been completed during the 260-year Edo period, except for the

final map by Inō, for which the date of completion are, in around Kan’ei 13 (ca.1636), Kan’ei 15 (1638), Shōhō

the first (ca.1651), Shōhō the second (1669), Genroku (1702), and Kyōhō (1725). As for the “Dainipon-enkai-

yochi-zenzu” (大日本沿海輿地全図, map of the coastlines of Great Japan), made by Ino Tadataka (伊能忠敬)

was the first time shapes of the Japanese islands were drawn definitely through surveying, and that the map was

not compiled from provincial maps. Moreover, the production of this map was a personal effort rather than the

work of the government. For this reason, Ino’s map is not discussed further in this study.

II Correcting a Misconception of the So-called “Keichō Map of Japan”

Two types of national maps of Japan in the early stage of Edo

Two types of old large manuscript maps of Japan exist today that are likely to have been compiled by the

shogunate during the early Edo period: 1) the national map so-called “Keichō Nihon sō-zu” (慶長日本総図,

Keichō map of Japan)2), that is kept at the National Diet Library, which has been well known since early times

and is thought to be based on the Keichō provincial map; and 2) the national map of Japan, which is part of the

Hasuike collection at the Saga Prefectural Library (referred to as the “Saga” map), comprising three parts,

which has simply been described without serious deliberation, as having a similar history to the Keichō map of

Japan3). The two are considerably similar, however the Saga map, the three parts of which together measuring

622 by 674 centimeters, is much larger (Figure 1A, 1B). It appears that the Saga map is older than the Keichō

1) T. Akioka introduced for map of Japan the shogunate made to be four times in his book (1971). Later, K. Unno showed a

thought five times in the appended chart included in the book by J. B. Harley and D. Woodward (1994).

2) This map was shown in fig. 14 of the book by Unno, Oda, and Muroga (1972). Unno included this map also in J. B. Haley

and D. Woodward (1994), and explained it briefly.

The National Maps of Japan Compiled by the Tokugawa Shogunate (KAWAMURA) 81

Figure 1. Two types of national map of Japan in Edo early days. Above is the Saga Prefectural Library possession (Type A), Size of the original: 182×135cm (eastern part), 279×384cm (central part), 321×290cm (western part). Bottom is the National Diet Library possession (Type B) Size of the entire original 370×434cm. The top and bottom of the rectangular blank part of Type B, originally would have shown rice production amount of for each province, but this being a copy, the description is omitted.


map, which can be confirmed by comparing the arrangement of the figures and contents, found in the two maps,

along with the locations of their castle towns. I assume both as reference points; I label the version at the Saga

Prefectural Library “Type A”, and the one at the National Diet Library “Type B”.

Diary of the Edo-caretaker of the Hagi clan

Although no documentary evidence exists on the production of Type A, documented evidence dates the

production of Type B to the 15th year of the Kan’ei era (1638). After I questioned the year of production of the

“Keichō map of Japan”, I kept investigating a related record in a document from the early Edo days, and was

finally able to find a relevant historical record in the Yamaguchi Prefectural Archive. The following descriptions

are found in the diary of Fukuma Hikoemon4), the Edo-caretaker of the Hagi feudal clan. He was summoned by

the chief government inspector named Inoue Masashige on May 16, in the 15th year of Kan’ei (1638), and was

ordered to submit the provincial maps of Suō and Nagato to revise the national map of Japan. This project was

undertaken as the provincial maps submitted by the former inspector for the Chūgoku districts (the western-

most part of the main island, Honshū) were rather imprecise. The preparation style of the map will be discussed

later. The submission of provincial maps is currently limited to the Chūgoku district.

According to Fukuma’s diary, the newly made provincial maps of Suō and Nagato were sent from Hagi to Edo

on October 14, 1638, approximately five months after the order, and were submitted to Inoue on October 20.

The descriptions found in the diary reveal that the shogunate revised the map of Japan in 1638. Concerning the

description of the above-mentioned historical records, I located two large beautiful duplicates of the provincial

maps of Bizen and Bichū (parts of Chūgoku, now in Okayama Prefecture), which had been submitted to the sho-

gunate by the lord of Okayama in 1638, and at a later date, I confirmed that all of the small reproduced copies of

the Chūgoku district in 1638, which consists of 14 pieces, are held at the Usuki City Library in Ōita Prefecture.

Much later, I was also able to confirm the large duplicate of the provincial map of the Suō and Nagato (now in

Yamaguchi Prefecture), which had been submitted to the shogunate in 1638, as is recorded in Fukuma’s diary

(Kawamuura, 2015)5).

Consistency of Type B and provincial maps of 1638

A comparison between the provincial maps of the Chūgoku district and Type B, shows that the representa-

tions of each province have much in common. There is a significant correlation between the two in the shape of

the area and content of descriptions, thus confirming that the Chūgoku area in Type B was edited based on the

provincial maps of 1638. In addition, the shape of the western tip of Honshū significantly differs between Types

A and B, and the provincial map of Nagato, which contains most of the west end of the Chūgoku region, closely

resembles its counterpart in Type B.

3) This map was shown in fig. 57 in Akioka (1971), and Akioka explained briefly that it had been drawn in the Edo early

stage. Unno also briefly described this map, in J. B. Haley and D. Woodward (1994).

4) Kōgisho nichijhō (Diary of the official services), Catalog 1 in Mōrike-bunko, 19-4, Yamaguchi Prefectural Archive.

Hikoemon worked in the Edo residence of the Hagi clan for about 20 years from 1633 to 1652.

5) I found this important document, just after my book was published (2013). Refer to (Kawamura, 2015).


Therefore, I believe that the map held at the National Diet Library, which has long been commonly accepted

as the “Keichō map of Japan”, has been misclassified. Instead, I assert that this map was in fact created by Inoue

Masashige in 1638, just after the Revolt of Shimabara. His urgent revision of the national map was a response

to political unease in western Japan. He collected provincial maps only for the Chūgoku region, which contained

the main route to Kyūshū. Furthermore, Inoue seemed strongly aware, based on the experience of the expe-

dition to Kyūsyū6), of the lack of transportation information that appeared on the previous national map, and

realized there was a need to revise it7).

The inspector national dispatch in 1633 and the collection of provincial maps

Although no documentary evidence exists regarding the production of Type A, the following circumstantial

evidence suggests the national map of Japan was probably produced during the Kan’ei era. As previously men-

tioned, the government is believed to have collected provincial maps from provincial governments a total of four

times. However, according to the newly found historical records, the shogunate also gathered provincial maps

from the Daimyōs of provinces on two other occasions during the Kan’ei era. The shogunate sent Junkenshi (巡

見使, administrative inspectors) to all provinces for the first time in 1633 (the 10th year of Kan’ei), and inspec-

tors’ boundaries were determined by dividing the nation into six districts8), Each inspector collected provincial

maps from his respective district and then submitted them to the shogunate. Other one was in principle the

collection of only from Chūgoku region.

However, there is no information about the style and content of the inspectors’ provincial maps of 1633. I had

been aware of the existence, in the Akita Prefectural Archive, one set of 68 small provincial maps, on which

castles were indicated with the same pictorial symbol, and believe they were produced during the early Edo

period. The same maps were later found to be held in the libraries of influential feudal lords, such as the Ikeda

at Okayama9) and Mōri at Hagi. Thus, these provincial maps are undoubtedly smaller copies of the originals

the official inspectors collected in 1633. On the one hand, many differences, can be seen among these small

provincial maps, such as map styles, descriptions, and content, reflecting the six respective districts of the six

Kan’ei inspectors. On the other hand, the shape and contents of the small provincial maps for each province

correspond to those of Type A. The shape of Nagato province at the west end of Honshū corresponds accurately

with the shape of Type A. This leaves no doubt that Type A was based on the secondary manuscripts from the

inspectors’ provincial maps.

Compilation based on the secondary reduced small provincial maps

Type A was compiled from the provincial maps that the shogun’s official inspectors collected in 1633; how-

ever Type B was produced as an emergency measure by Inoue Masashige, with provincial maps only for the

6) Inoue went to Shimabara during a riot, and returned in a hurry to Edo as soon as it was suppressed, and reported the state

of repression to the shogun.

7) My opinion raised objections from three people; (Kuroda, 1982), (Tsukamoto, 1985), and (Unno, 2000). Unno insisted the

original map in the Diet Library might have been produced between 1623 and 1626.

8) Refer to “Tokugawa Kinrei-kō” (Law of Prohibition by the shogunate).

9) I have reprinted those maps kept at the Ikeda Family Collection of Okayama University. (Kawamura, 2002).


Chūgoku region, five years later in 1638, just after the Revolt of Shimabara. A comparison of the two types of

maps reflects well the establishment circumstances. Detailed illustration of numerous geographical features

and place names were included in the larger Type A map. Although Type B is relatively simple in its description

of geographical features, one can find detailed traffic information on land and sea route distances as well as,

river crossings in it. In the case of rivers without bridges, this map indicates whether the rivers allowed boat

crossings or had to be forded on foot. Such small notations as the method of river crossing are extremely rare in

Japanese maps of the Edo era. Though the former a huge three piece sets, and is hard to treat, the latter is one

piece and easy to handle even for the military use.

It is thought that both types of Kan’ei national maps were compiled from small secondary miniature provincial

maps. The original inspector’s provincial maps estimated differences in presentation style, such as dimension

and descriptions of the six districts. Therefore, the government is considered to have created the secondary

manuscripts of most unification of the size and map style. The nationwide unification of provincial maps, only

ensured consistency in form, not in content. The dimensions were not shown on a reduced scale, and only an

outline made the size equal.

III The Shōhō Map of Japan: Reproduced After the Suffering of the Big Fire

Inoue commanded the following map making project again

The third map-making project, also under the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu, began in the first year of

Shōhō (1644). Only five years had passed since the creation of the Kan’ei 15th year map of Japan. Inoue

Masashige directed the project again and attempted to produce a complete, unified map of Japan from a military

perspective.

Appointing a cartographer responsible for each province

The government summoned the Edo-rusui (Edo-caretaker) of each lord to the government’s meeting-place

in November 1644, and designated an ezu-moto (絵図元, lord in charge of map-making) for each province. How-

ever, feudal lords who ruled one or several provinces completely were limited to such as Maeda in Kaga, Mōri

in Nagato and Shimazu in Satsuma, and other provinces were often divided among two or more feudal lords

and the shogunate territory. Thus, the choice of whom to put in charge of map-making for each province was

important. Generally, a major feudal lord in the province was given this task. The lord in charge of map-making

was not necessarily the only person who had this responsibility in a province. Occasionally, in ai-mochi (相持,

joint allotment), two or three lords and deputy officials jointly took charge of the map. In such cases, one of the

lords was chosen to take responsibility for the accuracy of the final product.

Detailed notification for map-making standards

For this project the government provided detailed production standards for provincial maps, anticipating that

they would ultimately be incorporated into the national map of Japan. National standards were established for

map styles and cartographic symbolization of the provincial maps. For military consideration, notations were


required to indicate whether seashores had rocky or sandy beaches, and also whether ships could be moored

there. The most important standardization was the unification of the scale of the maps through the country.

The reduced scale of provincial maps was standardized as six sun to one ri (1/21,600), and this scale was used

in subsequent provincial maps. The Shōhō provincial map seems to have been submitted nationwide until ap-

proximately 1650, six years after the start of the project. Following this, the Shōhō national map of Japan was

compiled from these provincial maps. Although previous maps of Japan during the Kan’ei era, had been limited

to 68 provinces, Ezo (now, in Hokkaidō) was added to the north on the Shōhō map, because the Matumae clan

submitted the “Matsumae map.”

Suffering as a result of the big fire and reproduction of the national map

The original Shōhō map of Japan, was destroyed by the Meireki fire (1657). It was then remade by a tactician

named Hōjyō Ujinaga, in the 9th year of Kan’bun (1669), a fact not known until now (Kawamura, 1979, 2013a).

Thus, the Shōhō map of Japan existed in two forms: Shōhō provincial map of whole country has also been

destroyed by fire with the national map. Therefore, the government requested that all provinces submit their

copies of the duplicate of Shōhō provincial map again, and Hōjyō reproduced the national map based on the

resubmitted provincial maps.

While editing this national map, Hōjyō collected “Shokoku no Dōdo” (documents of distance) from each prov-

ince, the distance from the starting point of a province to the border of a neighboring province, and the neigh-

boring castle and up to Edo. “Dōdo” (道度) means “distance”, as does the commonly used word “michinori”

(道程). However, there is a vagueness the Chinese character for “michinori” is vague; thus, Hōjyō chose not to

use it, instead expressing “dōdo” with a Chinese character. This choice reflects his scientific tendencies. The

reproduced Shōhō map of Japan was named “kōkoku dōdo zu” (皇圀道度図, Route Map of Great Japan), and a

copy is currently owned by the Ōsaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library. Although the original Shōhō map of

Japan was destroyed, and even the copy no longer seems to exist, Fujii Jyōji made it clear in recent years that

there is a copy of the map of Japan at the National Institute of Japanese Literature (Fujii, 2007). On the map,

Hōjyō designated milestones along arterial roads as two small black dots running bilaterally. Such marks were

not seen on the first Shōhō map of Japan. In any case, the reduced scale of the Shōhō provincial map was stan-

dardized to that of the national map, making the shape of Japan more precise.

IV The Genroku Map Compiled Through the Strict Joining of the Borders

Under the reign of the fifth shōgun, Tokugawa Tunayoshi, in the Genroku era, the government initiated a

nationwide map-making project for a fifth time. This effort was intended to revise the Shōhō map, which had

become obsolete, as about 50 years had passed since the Shōhō era. Four magistrates of the shogunate were

in charge of this project, and Inoue Masamine, a commissioner of temples and shrines, directed this project. In

February 1697, the major lords’ Edo-caretakers were called to the government’s meeting-place and appointed

as ezu-moto (lords in charge of map-making) for each province. This role to make a map was important. In

general, powerful lords had been assigned this responsibility over the years, as with the Shōhō map 50 years


earlier, however, much had changed, as many lords had been transferred, either as officials or as punishment.

Notification on the emphasis of border mentioning

Over the course of several days, the policies for map revision and the standards of map-making were ex-

plained to the Edo-caretaker of ezu-moto in detail. The most important notices in the government’s announce-

ments were the following two points. First, the style of the provincial maps, including the reduced scale, was

basically the same as before. Second, the boundary lines with neighboring provinces were to be drawn correctly,

and in the event of a dispute about a border, the provinces involved were to resolve it privately. If such disputes

could not be settled privately, the government would vote on the matter. As previously mentioned, descriptions

of borders had been emphasized from the beginning. However, the government imposed new and stricter re-

quirements for border descriptions in December 1699, two and a half years after the start of the project. By this

time, the map revision process for each province had already advanced, with six provinces (Iki, Nanbu, Sendai,

Suō, Nagato, Tango and Iwami) having already submitted their new provincial maps. However, the maps from

these provinces (except for Iki, an island) were returned, and they were ordered to revise their maps according

to the new standards. The government wanted more details included for boundary features, such as mountains,

rivers, lakes, roads, and fields (showing, for example, whether boundaries fell on the peak, side, or foot, of a

mountain).

Strict checking of boundaries by officials

According to the new policy, all provinces had to produce “Hasi-ezu” (端絵図, map of border) of their borders,

which were maps of the narrow zones along their borders on the same scale as the provincial map, and based

on the shapes of the border of neighboring provinces. Neighboring provinces brought each other’s maps to the

government-sponsored map workshop in Edo, and government officials checked the maps against each other

for any discrepancies. Finally, it was necessary for both neighboring provinces to exchange the border deed by

two neighboring provinces. It was problematic for many provinces to confirm border accuracy this carefully.

Many boundary disputes occurred, and it is said that by exceeding 100 cases, the government exemplified

voting in the Genroku era.

Requesting a coastline chart

The editing of the Genroku map of Japan took place somewhat differently from then on. For coastal provinces,

coastline charts were suddenly requested during the final stage, when compilation of the national map began.

The Genroku map of Japan was compiled by first connecting the neighboring border maps, and then joining the

coastline-charts so that they outlined the whole country. The new national map was completed in December

1702, six years after the map revision project had started. On this Genroku map of Japan, Ezo, located in the

north, had not been changed at all from the Shōhō map; the Ryūkyū (today’s Okinawa Prefecture) were compar-

atively drawn accurately on the part of the map indicating southern Japan. The shape of Japan on the Genroku

map does not seem to have improved from that on the Shōhō map.

The Genroku map of Japan was essentially compiled in the same way as the provincial map, but was produced


with the rigorous confirmation of borders. However, it is thought that the illustrations of the borders did not

necessarily improve because the standards for drawing borders for the provincial map were too strict, resulting

in increasingly artificial representations in the drawing of the provincial maps.

V The Kyōhō Map According to the Mountain Direction Survey

Only 15 years after the compilation of the Genroku map of Japan, the shogunate began again to produce a map

of Japan. This project was conducted and strongly supported by the eighth shōgun, Tokugawa Yoshimune, who

was unsatisfied with the Genroku map10). The project started in August of the second year of the Kyōhō (1717),

under the direction of Ōkubo Tadataka, the Minister of finance, in charge and was completed in the 10th year

of Kyōhō (1725)11).

Special attention given to the production of this map

Among all the maps of Japan produced by the Edo shogunate, the Kyōhō map is generally given special at-

tention, because a new technique for measurement “Bōshi-kōkai-hō”,「望視交会法 (遠望術), method of direc-

tion surveying」, was used in its production. It is a method of outlook over a high mountain, and measuring its

direction. The shogunate initiated surveying throughout the country for a third time. The two previous times,

the survey was conducted under the guidance of Hōjyō Ujisuke, the son of Ujinaga, who had created the second

Shōhō map of Japan. The third survey was made by Hōjyō’s replacement, Takebe Katahiro, who was a pupil of

Seki Takakazu, a famous mathematician.

The first time, only the names were requested of high mountains in neighboring provinces that were visible

from wherever of the own province. The second time, the government chose one or two high mountains from

the first observation report, and gave a partial copy of the Genroku provincial map, which contained only the

range related to observation and one magnet for surveying. The surveying method was specified as follows.

First, the partial copy that was distributed, was to be organized so that the north appeared at the top, and a

magnet was used at the starting point of observation. Next, overlooking the target mountain from there and

delineating the azimuth, lines were to be drawn in a red on the partial copy. Then the angles of the fill direction

line were to be measured. Moreover, if a mistake was found on the government’s distributed partial copy, such

as in its illustrated positions of mountains, rivers, and villages, such errors were to be corrected using a piece

of paper, as a patch over the error. The government distributed copies that were certainly not always correct,

and so the work was carried out dilatorily in every province.

10) Hōjyō Ujisuke checked the precision of the Genroku map of Japan prior to the nation-wide survey. He measured the

direction of the high mountains in Kanto area, such as Mount Fuji, Tsukuba and Ōyama, to be able to look over from the

tower of Edo-Castle, with both of wood and metallic azimuth compass, and the shogun noticed that the illustration of the

map was incorrect.

11) According to a note by Tokugawa Jikki (Historical authentic record), Ōkubo, Takebe, and other persons concerned with

this project received rewards on September 16 Kyōhō 10. Moreover, based on this note, the project was formally complet-

ed in 1725. However, this substantial project might have some to an end in 1728, including arrangement of the backlog.


Change in measurement method through a change of a technical person

In these circumstances, Takebe Katahiro joined the project as the new technical leader, and another operation

of measurements was ordered. For this third survey, the intended targets to be overlooked were newly indi-

cated. Targets to be indicated included old castles, temples, shrines, harbors and capes, as well as mountains.

Moreover, the same sheets of Hōgaku-shi (方角紙, direction paper; white paper with only a cross line of four

direction) were delivered to the number of targets, in place of the partial copy of Genroku provincial map. In

addition to the directional paper, a single ruler and a mountain-drawing format were provided to each province.

This time, the indicated starting point was fixed on the direction paper by a square, and the target was to be

measured from there, and the work was to draw a line using a ruler so that the direction line passed through

the point of intersection of the cross line on the direction paper. When the target could not be seen from the

prescribed starting point, a nearby location from which it could be seen was to be chosen. These new survey

methods, which did not succeed over the previous measurements, were a quite new attempt. The government

unilaterally chose the targets for each province. Therefore, in many cases the targets could not be seen from

the indicated starting point. Because Takebe replaced Hōjyō as the technical person in charge, the final survey

report was significantly different from and much simpler than the previous one (Figure 2).

The change in the technical person was thought to be due to obstacles preventing the joining provincial maps.

Under Hōjyō’s direction, the azimuth line to mountain was to be indicated on the partial copy of the Genroku

provincial map, but such illustrated drawings were often inaccurate, making it difficult to delineate the azimuth

line after taking into account the positions of everything that was drawn. Under Takebe’s direction, however,

the azimuth line was simply indicated on the direction paper, and was adjusted using a simple method. Takebe

made smaller drawings of each province, which reduced the former Genroku provincial map to one-tenth of

its original size, and connected provinces one by one, according to the direction of the target obtained by the

survey, to compile the national map of Japan.

Existence of the original survey drawing

Although neither the manuscript nor the original of the Kyōhō national map of Japan still exist, the National

Museum of Japanese History owns a quarter-sized copy. Fortunately, the original survey drawing of the Kyōhō

map of Japan was recently found (Kawamura, 2014). In the Japanese area on the map only the division of

provinces, and the innumerable azimuth lines connecting the starting point and the targets, still exists. This

survey drawing was a part of the collection of Matuura Seizan, the old feudal lord of Hirado (now, Hirado city, in

Nagasaki Prefecture), and is currently found in the Moriya collection, it has been deposited with the Hiroshima

Prefectural History Museum (Figure 3).

Here I introduce the underlying historical materials that were recorded, “Shokoku mitōsi mokuroku” (諸国見

通目録, a list of directional measurements for the whole country), which Takebe himself wrote, and which are

held by the National Archive of Japan. This is a compiled list of the records from the third nationwide surveying.

Directions are listed for a total of 86 targets from 203 nationwide starting points. The most prominent target is

Mt. Fuji in Suruga, with 33 lines of overlook and starting points for viewing in 15 provinces. The descriptions

on this list are consistent with the illustrations of the original survey drawing. The drawing also shows many


azimuth lines across the Seto Inland Sea in particular. The earlier Genroku map was edited by strictly checking

borderlines against those of neighboring provinces, but the problem of correctly placing islands remained. On

the Kyōhō map, the Chūgoku, Shikoku, and Kyūshū positions were determined across the sea by the intersec-

tion of these azimuth lines.

Figure 2. The drawings which delineated a overlooks line from the starting point of the observation to the target mountain. The above in the case of Hōjō’s direction, the bottom in the case of Takebe’s direction. Hosokawa Interest Founda-tion holdings, deposited with the Kumamoto University Library.


VI Conclusion

Maps of Japan rapidly improved after the start of the Edo period. Before the Edo, the only map of Japan was

a small illustration called a “Gyōki-zu” (行基図, Gyōki-type map). Each of the national maps of Japan ordered

by the shogunate was created through the ingenuity of joining provincial maps under the powers of the state.

However, the method for combining these reached a technical limit during the Genroku era. Consequently, in

the Kyōhō era, the mathematician Takebe Katahiro devised a new technique for measurement, and easily and

quickly joined together provincial maps of the whole country. His method of directional surveying conveyed a

seemingly scientific impression; however, it only determined the positional relationship of adjacent provinces,

and a small error in one place would produce a big mistake in the whole. Takebe understood this issue, writing

in his memoranda that astronomical observations (latitude and longitude) were necessary in order to create

a highly precise map of Japan. Such a method of cartography would have to wait 80 years for Inō Tadataka’s

measurements.

The range territory included in the two early Kan’ei maps of Japan was limited to the traditional 68 kuni

(provinces). The northern islands, Ezo (today’s Hokkaidō, Kuriles and Sakhlin), were included in a primitive,

schematic form for the first time on the Shōhō map, but there was little improvement in accuracy in subsequent

maps. Although the government collected the provincial map of Ryūkyū (today’s Okinawa Prefecture), the

southern boundary islands as early as the Shōhō era, it was not included on the Shōhō map. The Ryūkyū Islands

were drawn to a relatively high degree of accuracy for the first time on the next Genroku map, and then were

dropped in the Kyōhō map that followed (Figure 4).

Figure 3. The surveying original drawing of the Kyōhō national map of Japan, 152×336cm. In the Hiroshima Prefectural Historical Museum (Moriya Hisashi collection).


Figure 4. The figure change in national maps of Japan


References

Akioka, T. (1971). A history of the map making of Japanese maps. [Nihon chizu-sakuseishi]. Kashima Laboratory Press Asso-

ciation, 68–71. (In Japanese)

Fujii, J. (2007). Two Shōhō maps of Japan (In Fujii, J. et al., eds. An iconography portrait in the earth. [Daichi no shōzō]. Kyōto

Daigaku Gakujyutu Schuppan-kai), 326–344. (In Japanese)

Haley, J. B. and Woodward, D., eds. (1994). The history of cartography, Vol. 2 (Cartography in the traditional east and southeast

Asian societies). The University of Chicago Press.

Kawamura, H. (1977). Revision of the provincial map in the Genroku era and the character of new map. Japanese Journal of

Human Geography, 29(6), 28–54. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (1979). The Re-collection of the Shōhō kuni-ezu by the Meireki big fire Suffering. The Historical Geography

Society Newsletter, 103, 11–16. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (1981). On the general map of Japan compiled by the Tokugawa shogunate. Japanese Journal of Human Geog-

raphy, 33(6), 43–63. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (1984). Reserch on the kuni-ezu compiled by the Tokugawa shogunate. [Edo bakufu-sen kuni-ezu no kenkyū].

Kokon-shoin. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (1995). Provincial maps of early Edo period which is considered to be the reduced copies of 68 pieces of the

Kan’ei provincial map. The Historical Geography, 37(5), 1–17. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (1998). Reconsideration on the general map of Japan compiled by Tokugawa shogunate. Japanese Journal of

Human Geography, 50(5), 1–24. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (2000a). Drawing expression of border line on the Genroku provincial maps in the Edo period. The Historical

Geography, 42(3), 22–36. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (2000b). Replay to emeritus Professor Unno’s view on the so-called “Keichō map of Japan”. Map (Journal of

the Japan cartographers association), 38(4), 42–48. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (2002). Provincial maps of the all over Japan by 1633 Inspection. [Kan’ei 10 nen Jyunkenshi kuni-ezu; Nihon

rokujyū yoshū-zu]. Kashiwa Shobō. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (2007). Revision of the Kan’ei map of Japan and its reality. (Fujii, J. et al., eds. An iconography in the earth.

[Daichi no shōzō]. Kyōto Daigaku Gakujyutu Schuppan-kai), 298–325. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (2008). The Genroku map of Japan compiled by the Tokugawa shogunate and the authenticity and distribution

of its Kiriutsushi-zu. Japanese Journal of Human Geography, 60(5), 1–22. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (2013a). About the Time of the kuni-ezu resubmission by the suffering of the Meireki era big Fire. The

Table 1. Projects to compile national map of Japan under the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Order Name of mapStart year

of the project

Year of Completion

Rough estimate scaleIn existence of copy of similar national

map of Japan

1 Kan’ei 10 1633 ca.1635 1 sun 1ri 1:129,600 Saga Prefectural LibraryHonkoji Temple in Shimabara CityYamaguchi Prefecutural ArchivePrivate collection in Ono City

2 Kan’ei 15 1638 1638 5 bu 1ri 1:259,000 National Daiet Library of JapanIkedake Library of Okayama Univ.Nakai’s documents of Kyoto Univ.

3 Shoho the first 1644 ca.1651 3 bu 1ri 1:432,000 National Institute of Japannese LiteratureMatudaira Library in Shimabara City

4 Shoho the second 1669 1669 3 bu 1ri 1:432,000 Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library

5 Genroku 1697 1702 4 bu 1ri 1:324,000 Ashida Collection in Library of Meiji Univ.

6 Kyoho 1717 1725 5 bu 1 ri 1:216,000 National Museum of Japanese History (a quarter sized copy)


Historical Geography, 55(1), 43–51. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (2013b). Research on the national map of Japan by the Tokugawa shogunate. [Edo bakufu-sen nihon-sōzu no

kenkyū]. Kokon-shoin. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (2014). Existence of the surveying original drawing of the Japanese map of the Kyōhō era. The Historical

Geography, 56(3), 23–36. (In Japanese)

Kawamura, H. (2015). Revision of national map of Japan in 15th year of Kan’ei era, and the provincial map of Suō and Nagato

which was submitted by the lord of Hagi. Yamaguchi kenshi kenkyū, 23, 1–17. (In Japanese)

Kuroda, H. (1982). A Study of the drawings of the provinces during the Kan’ei period. Shikan (The historical review), 107,

49–62. (In Japanese)

Sugimoto, F. (1988). Making project of map of Japan and nation at the early modern age. Journal of Historical Studies, 586,


Tsukamoto, K. (1985). General maps of Japan in the early Edo period. Bulletin of Kōbe City Museum, 2, 19–40. (In Japanese)

Unno, K., Oda, T., and Muroga, N., eds. (1972). Compilation of old Japanese maps (Nihon kochizu taisei). Kōdansha. (In

Japanese)

Unno, K. (2000). Origins of the so-called “Keichō map of Japan”. Map (Journal of the Japan cartographers association), 38(1),


Unno, K. (2001). Date of figure appearance and date of depiction; regarding Mr. Kawamura’s criticism of my article. Map

(Journal of the Japan cartographers association), 39(1), 28–30. (In Japanese)

江戸幕府による日本総図の編纂

川　村　博　忠元山口大学教授

（2015年11月２日受付，2016年４月６日受理）

江戸幕府は慣例的に全国から集めた国絵図に基づいて日本総図を集成していた。国土の地図づくりが制度の存立や機能と関って国家権力により組織的に遂行されていた。だが従来研究不十分のまま，幕府が編纂した日本総図は最後の伊能図を除くと慶長・正保・元禄・享保の４回であるとみなされてきた。だが，近年の研究によりとくに江戸初期において，慶長図の編纂はなく，寛永期の２度の編纂など，従来の通説を大きく改める成果を生むに至った。幕府編纂の日本総図は順を追うと，最初は寛永10年，同15年，正保初回，正保再製，元禄，享保とつづき，最後は文政の伊能図にいたる全部で７回に及んでいた。伊能図は国絵図に基づく集成ではなく，成立経緯が他とは異なることから本稿では除外している。しかるに，江戸幕府の日本総図は時々の政治や社会情勢を背景にして図示・内容に違いはでているが，全国の国絵図をいかに接合するかの技術面でも各期工夫があった。寛永期には巡見使が持ち寄った国絵図には各国，寸法や様式にばらつきがあったので，それをおおよそ統一した二次的写本が作られた。正保に至り，初めて国絵図の全国的な縮尺の統一があって日本総図の編集作業は大きく進展した。元禄の国境縁絵図の厳密な突合せはかえって人為的な妥協を生んだ。八代将軍吉宗は，数学者を登用して遠望術（望視交会法）による国絵図接合を果たすなど，国絵図接合技術の進展過程を明らかにしている。

キーワード：いわゆる「慶長日本総図」，国絵図，島原の乱，寛永10年巡見使，遠望術（望視交会法）

The National Maps of Japan Compiled by the Tokugawa Shogunate

Documents

Transcript of The National Maps of Japan Compiled by the Tokugawa Shogunate