KAISEI NIHON YOCHI ROTEI ZENZU: REVISED MAP OF JAPAN. [Large Hand-Colored Woodbl by [NAGAKUBO, Sekisui.]

[Edo 1840, Suhraya]. Yellow blind-stamped paper covers,title slip, folds down to 16 x 28.7 cm., opens to 130.5 x 86 cm., covers bright, edges & corners a bit rubbed, hand-colored, a better than average example, reprint of Anei 11 [1828]. RARE . *** **** *** . . KAISEI NIHON YOCHI ROTEI ZENZU: COMPLETE MAP OF JAPAN . . . WITH DISTANCE CHART, LARGE WALL MAP . . . ORIGINAL WOODBLOCK PRINTED BLACK OUTLINE . . . SHOWING ALL OF JAPAN & OUTER ISLANDS IN 1779 . . WITH HAND-COLORING . . . JAPAN'S FIRST MAP SHOWING LATITUDE & LONGITUDE LINES . . . AN IMPORTANT & HISTORICAL 'FIRST' MAP , * This superb map was 'revised' by Japan's most eminent cartographer, NAGAKUBO Sekisui [1717-1801]. . This was the work of a Confucian scholar from Mito, and his maps were considered more accurate than his predecessors. He was the founder of Japanese cartography. . He first experienced seeing western maps while in Nagasaki, where he was a Rangakusha [student of Dutch learning]. He began to remake Japanese maps in western style. His first effort was: KAISEI NIHON YOCHI ROTEI ZENZU [COMPLETE MAP OF JAPAN] in 1779. This item we list is an early reprint of that map with his improvements. . This is the first Japanese map to show & use longitude & latitude lines. It describes map usage, with guide & itinerary, amount of walking days with distance chart from each city to next cities. Key & guide to symbols used on the map. A comprehensive map of all of Japan and her islands. . *** MAP CONTENTS & KEYS: The key shows color symbols for rivers mountains, castles, cities & villages, names of ports, famous places, Kuni names, Buddhist & Shinto [Jinja] shrines & temples, capitals, shipping lanes & distances, famous roads & Seki [road barriers], With four inset boxes of texts, description and colophon. . *** AUCTION RECORD: This map was sold by Christie's London July 12, 2008 for 3,600 GPB. Bunka 5th year [1809] a later edition mounted on a screen. See Christies lot lot-4750697. . *** GENERAL: Generic: This map is hand-colored over black-line key woodblocks. It has 10 color directional symbols. The front cover has the original title slip. . *** INDIVIDUAL COPY VARIANTS & DETAILS: . All copies are hand-colored gouache. . COPY 1: This the Bunka 8 year [1811] reprint of the Anei 8 year [1779] First Edition. With typical dusty & spotted, blind-stamped floral decorated covers, some old small spots, lower left front cover paste-on paper cites edition & bibliographic details brushed on paper, former owner's name Sumi ink brushed on back cover. . Contents clean, nicely hand-colored, some four-way folds reinforced in the distant past. The map is now firm and solid. All in all a better than average example. * COPY 2: This is the Tenpo 11 year [1840] reprint of the Anei 8th year [1779] edition. . The covers are very bright, clean and solid, an example. With excellent hand-coloring, with a couple of minor back side mends to hinge, now firm & solid. Far and above average example. * COPY 5: This is an excellent example, published in Koka 3rd year [1846]. An exact reprint of the FIRST EDITION, Anei 8 year [1779]. . Strong folds, no mends or reinforcements, beautifully hand-tinted, pastel colors. A far and above average example, seldom found in such excellent condition. . This map is contained in a new, 3-fold Chitsu, covered in indigo-blue cloth. . * COPY 6: Covers are in blue Swistika blind-stamped paper covered boards. The usual cover minor scuffing, edge & corner wear, several hinges reinforced from the back, now firm, stable & solid. Koka 3rd year, [1846]. . *** Color photos are posted to our website. . *** REFERENCES: . BEANS, George H.: A LIST OF JAPANESE MAPS OF THE TOKUGAWA ERA: 1791.1,1811.2, p.33 List. * Kazukata Unno: "Cartography in Japan" in History of Cartography vol. 2 book 2 (1994). * NANBA, Matsutaro. ed. et al.: OLD MAPS IN JAPAN, p.41 * Hugh Cortazzio Isles of Gold, Antique Maps of Japan, plate 4, for the 1811 issue. * See: nagakubosekisui.org: A website devoted to all things Sekisui. click at bottom for English. . THE MEMORIAL SOCIETY OF NAGAKUBO SEKISUI. Excellent website with details on his life & maps, accomplishments, personality, his work as a cartographer, geographer, Confucian & agricultural policy scholar. * JONES, Yolande. et al.: CHINESE AND JAPANESE MAPS: An Exhibition Organised By The British Museum, 1 February-31 December 1974. This map is listed as J22, 1779 edition. . * .