Title
最新廣島市街地圖 / [Latest Street Map of Hiroshima Municipality].
1922 (dated)
29 x 20.75 in (73.66 x 52.705 cm)
1 : 12000
Description
A scarce and highly detailed 1922 city plan or map of Hiroshima, Japan, drawn by Mori Jirō (森治郎) and published by Oobuchi Zenkichi. It presents the city in the midst of rapid expansion and industrialization, driven by industries related to the military which would later make the city a target of Allied bombing during the Second World War.
A Closer Look
Oriented towards the north-northeast, the city of Hiroshima is displayed with its historic castle complex, built in the late 16th century, sitting prominently towards top. Due to its location of Hiroshima Bay, which provided ready access to other parts of Japan as well as foreign markets, Hiroshima grew considerably as Japan's economy modernized following the Meiji Restoration. The city attracted both light industry (especially tobacco) and heavy industry, including military armaments, which led to its being targeted repeatedly by Allied bombers in the Second World War, ultimately with the first atomic bomb ever deployed in warfare. Large factories, including four dedicated to military use at right, are shaded red by Mori, as is the castle complex and a variety of government offices (jails, hospitals, military garrisons).
An extensive legend at bottom-left explains symbols used throughout, including those for topographic features, temples, shrines, administrative boundaries, roads, rail lines (streetcars and intercity rail), post offices, public telephones, and more. A large inset at bottom displays the northwestern shore of the island of Itsukushima (嚴島) in Hiroshima Bay, famous for its shrines, pagodas, and scenery, which are described by the text at right in the inset.
The verso includes information and photographs relating to the city, including text on its geography, history, transportation links, and famous attractions, such as temples, shrines, parks, and Hiroshima Castle. At bottom are several extensive lists of government offices, civic organizations, banks, schools, military and police outposts, hospitals and clinics, and the like, with their locations (neighborhood) noted.Publication History and Census
This map was drawn by Mori Jirō (森治郎), and was printed and published by Oobuchi Zenkichi of Shinshindō, based in Osaka, in January 1922 (Taishō 11). It is number 6 in a series of maps of 'imperial cities' (帝國都會地圖) published by Oobuchi in the early 1920s. It is quite rare; an earlier edition of the map from 1919 is held by the National Diet Library, while the present edition is only known to be held by the Nishio City Iwase Bunko (西尾市岩瀬文庫).
CartographerS
Mori Jirō (森治郎; fl. c. 1919 - 1921) was a Japanese cartographer based in Shimonoseki. His known surviving works include maps of Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Sasebo, and Kitakyushu. More by this mapmaker...
Oobuchi Zenkichi (大淵善吉; fl. c. 1912 - 1942) was a prolific writer, editor, publisher, bookseller, and cartographer based in Osaka. He was a descendent of Oobuchi Wataru (大淵渉; 1855 ‐ 1907), who founded the Shinshindō (駸々堂) bookstore and publishing house, and particularly focused on tourist maps for various cities and sites throughout Japan. Learn More...
Shinshindō (駸々堂; c. 1881 - 2000) was a bookstore and publisher founded by Oobuchi Wataru 大淵渉 (1855 ‐ 1907) in Kyoto. The company later moved to Osaka and went through several name changes over the course of the twentieth century, developing a niche market for study guides and test preparation books in the process, but ultimately going bankrupt in 2000. Learn More...
Condition
Good. Light wear along original folds. Light foxing. Light offsetting. Text on verso. Slight damage on fold intersections professionally repaired.
References
OCLC 673132052.