Seeing Japan from the Inside...
Outside of the historical significance of the time it was made (covered in a previous section), this map gives us a rare glimpse at how the Japanese saw their own land. Through an abundance of labels, we learn all about certain geological or urban characteristics of the regions: streets, harbors, islands and rivers are identified and, in some cases, described briefly.
The labels that break this mold, though, highlight significant places for, at very least, the individual who commissioned this map. Some of these more compelling elements are explored in this section on different pages linked above in the sub-pages.