Bennett Vogt: Map of Edo

1849 Map of Edo by Anonymous.

The image presented on the left is a typical map of Edo, or Tokyo, that was created in 1849. The cartographer is anonymous, but the map fits in with the long and vibrant history of cartographers working in Japan. The Japanese art of cartography is quite old and examples exist as early as the Nara Period from 710 to 784.[1] However, careful and continuous attempts were made throughout the Tokugawa period to map the Daimyo of Japan.[2] From this historical evidence it is clear that the Japanese had their own sophisticated survey and measurement systems, but these skills only increased with the later arrival of Portuguese cartographers.[3]

The map is a color wood-block print so that people could easily make multiple copies.[4] Wood-block printing required careful and delicate craftsmanship to create each document that it was used for because the ink had to sink into the wood precisely so that it would print correctly even after repeated use. The more straightforward and western style of movable type never took off in the same way despite early use during the beginning of the Tokugawa period.[5] The woodblock method allowed printers to save samples for long periods of time without having to remove and reset the type, meaning that documents would never change substantially over many years of publication.

The anonymous cartographer presents Edo in an artistic, diligent, and informative way. While some buildings are featured as prominent architectural sites with trees surrounding them, the characters alone written on each city block of the map signify others. Likewise, the cartographer presents the ocean in a very stylized way with waves and oversized boats in the bay, but the streets and blocks are presented in such detail as to provide for successful navigation through the busy city. This makes the map into a work of art and not just a functional tool. This is characteristic of most Japanese maps which served as works of art and were frequently found on fans and screens in well-furnished homes in addition to serving navigational and governmental purposes.[6]

This map also clearly demonstrates the militaristic centrality of most Japanese cities. The large circle in the middle of the map is where the Shogun’s palace or castle was located. The entire city encircles this one area and the various canals could serve as defensive barriers in case of attack. One commentator on the map has noted that the text seems to radiate outward form the central castle.[7] This pattern of the text also reflects the fact that Japanese maps possessed no inherent orientation whereas western maps were always oriented with North at the top.[8] Overall, the map is an impressive piece of Japanese craftsmanship and artistry that provides a glimpse into the world of late Tokugawa Japan.