1914 Nōshōmushō Geological Map of Central Japan, Kansai Region

This is a large-format folding geological map of Central Japan, prepared in 1914 by the Geological Survey of Japan, then part of the Nōshōmushō, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce.

A Closer Look

The map covers a large portion of Central Japan, roughly congruent with the Kansai region, including Osaka and Kyoto, and extending eastwards past Nagoya. The map's rich coloration represents the region's topomorphic petrology, as explained in the legend ('Explanation of colours') on the left. In addition to the geologic focus of the map, a wide range of administrative, topographic, and other details are also included, as explained by a legend at the bottom-right, which details symbols for cities, railways and train stations, mountain ranges, ports, lighthouses, mines, hot springs and mineral springs, and more. Next to this legend at the bottom-right is an inset of Hegurajima (舳倉島) and environs, islands off the coast of the Noto Peninsula at the top. As Japan was well into a period of modernization and industrialization, the map's most immediate economic impact would likely have been for mining purposes.

Publication History and Census

This map was prepared in 1914 (Taisho 3) by the Geological Survey of Japan (地質調查所), at that time was housed within the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce (農商務省). Further publication information at the bottom-left credits the 'joint venture' Tōyōdō (合資會社東陽堂), a short-lived government-affiliated outfit led by Nagano Isojirō (永野磯次郎), with printing and distribution. Leaders of the Geological Survey and members of the office who worked on the map are listed at the bottom right.

This map is part of a series that also included similar maps of western and eastern Japan (printed 1911 and 1912, respectively). It is also related to (based on) an equally scarce 'Topographical Map of Central Japan' (大日本帝國中部地形圖), prepared simultaneously by the Geological Survey, that lacks the coloration and information on rock types, held by the National Diet Library, Waseda University, and Kyoto University. These maps are now quite rare, with the present map (and its western and eastern Japan equivalents) being noted among the holdings of the National Diet Library and the National Archives of Japan.