1912 Taisho 1 Japanese Map of Hawaii

A scarce 1912 or Taisho 1 Japanese map of Hawaii. This map appeared during a period of increasing tension and Japanese interest in Hawaii. In the prior decades, before the Hawaiian Revolution and the Annexation of Hawaii to the United States, the Emperors of Japan considered the small Polynesian nation to be a both a sister monarchy and a potential colony providing easy access to America. Immigration to Hawaii was encouraged. By 1912, when this map was published, there were roughly 80,000 Japanese in Hawaii. Despite a large population, Japanese Hawaiians were increasingly marginalized, often restricted to their own schools, newspapers, and other institutions. This map, issued in the first year of the Taisho Era, illustrates a clear intention for Hawaii to serve as Japanese steppingstone to America. The islands are drawn in some detail, with text in English and Spanish. Shipping lanes between the islands as well as to Japan, South America, and Australia, are noted. A large inset in the lower left corner clearly illustrates the Japanese vision for Hawaii as the center of a trans-Pacific trade and shipping network. Doubtless, this map is foreshadowing the December 7, 1941 Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.