1930s Japanese Panorama Map of Lake Biwa, Japan

An appealing Japanese c. 1930 panoramic view map of Lake Biwa, Shiga Prefecture, Honshu, Japan. L ake Biwa (Biwa-ko, literally ‘Biwa Lake') is the largest freshwater lake in Japan and is situated northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Because of its proximity to the ancient capital, references to Lake Biwa abound in Japanese literature, particularly in poetry and in historical records.

This uncommon type of map evolved from the exposure of traditional Japanese view-style cartography to western technology. Views like this began to appear in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea in the early 20th century. Generally speaking such maps coincided with the development of railroad lines throughout the once vast Dai Nippon Teikoku or Japanese empire. It is a distinctive style full of artistic flourish that at the same time performs a practical function. This particular example is both relatively early and exceptionally beautiful. It was printed via a multi-color chromolithographic process with delicately shaded tones and an easily comprehensible intuitive design. essentially a transportation map, it shows the major and minor rail lines around Lake Biwa.

Map comes attached to its original Japanese deco paper binder.