1850 Edo Period Woodcut Map of Edo or Tokyo, Japan

This extraordinary item is a hand colored Edo Period woodcut map of Edo, or Tokyo, Japan. Impressive level detail. This map is in fact a smaller variation on a larger map printed in 1849. Produced in the mid 19th century Japanese woodcut style, this map is a rare combination of practical and decorative. Ships and waves decorate the harbor and there is no specific directional orientation. All text seems to radiate from the center of the map. Folds into its original sideboards. A must for any serious collection of Japanese cartography.