Map of Japan in Meiji (1886)

This multi-entry map (chizu), brimming with detail, focuses on Japan's main islands: Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. It also features the other islands and archipelagos of the empire in separate insets: Ezo, the northern island, annexed in 1869 and renamed Hokkaido; the Kuril Islands archipelago; the Ryukyu Islands; and the Ogasawara Archipelago. Additionally, the map offers detailed plans of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. The administrative division of Korea (Chosenkoku) reflects its status under the influence of both China and Japan (it would be fully colonised by Japan in 1905). Other insets provide information on the country's mountain peaks, waterways, administrative departments, and the distances between various cities and Tokyo. To further captivate the viewer beyond its impressive depiction of physical and political geography, the map is framed by around twenty charming vignettes showcasing iconic landmarks from both urban and rural Japan.