1934 Japanese Manga Travel Map of Japan in 13 Panels

An extraordinary set of 13 c. 1930s manga maps that, when combined, create an enormous cartoon map of Japan. The maps are densely packed with manga images illustrating local folklore, industry, sports, historic sites, social activities, flora, fauna, topography, aquatic life, farm animals, demons, and more. The national rail network is illustrated in some detail, with color coding and different styles of rendering tracks indicative of various rail companies and different track gauges. Each panel bears a railroad timetable. In total, 13 panels, illustrate the four main island of Japan, as well as some of the surrounding seas and smaller islands.

Japanese Manga and Propaganda

Japanese manga maps were published by both the government and private organizations before, during, and after World War II. They were often used as propaganda vehicles to further political or economic agendas throughout the empire. The use of cartoonish vignette illustrations on maps coincided the development of similar pictorial material in Europe and the United States, particularly the work of MacDonald Gill, Jo Mora, Ernest Dudley Chase, and others. Nonetheless, it was more widely and formally embraced in Japan, where the Manga tradition remains a deeply engrained part of the social fabric.

Publication History

This set was prepared by the Japanese cartoonists Yuizumi Nakamura, Kei Yokoyama, and Shiji Inoue. Individual sheets appear on the market from time to time, but the full set is rare.