1838 Map of Edo
DESCRIPTION
This colorful and highly detailed folding map of Edo (now Tokyo) shows streets, docks, waterways and bridges. It is centered on the Imperial Palace (Chiyoda Castle) and Asakusa Sensoji (Tokyo’s oldest temple) and identifies many other buildings, temples, and shrines. With no specific directional orientation, the map and text within seem to radiate around the Imperial Palace. Even the trees appear upside-down or sideways when the map is viewed from one angle.
The map is filled with family crests. The largest of these is on top of Edo Castle. This is the three hollyhock crest used by the Tokugawa clan that ruled Japan throughout the Edo period (1603 - 1863), thus the Edo period is also known as the Tokugawa period. Later after the Meiji restoration this would become the imperial palace, and continues to be so to this day.
A compass rose in the lower left features the 4 cardinal directions in the red box in the center and on the edges of the dodecagon are the 12 signs of the sexagenary cycle, which are also used to indicate cardinal directions. The characters in the yellow box outside the dodecagon correspond to northeast/southwest etc.
The map is adorned with several sailing ships throughout. As is common with these maps, an additional leaf of paper is used to include a section of the city East of the Arakawa River. In all, this map is a fascinating work of Japanese craftsmanship made with both practical and decorative intentions.
CONDITION
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