1939 Showa 14 Japanese Panorama Map or View of Nikko, Japan

This is an extremely beautiful 1939 or Showa 14 Japanese view map of Nikko, Japan. It covers the mountainous capital city of the Tochigi Prefecture in extensive detail, featuring the Nikko railway line, cable car, lakes, falls, museums, temples and various other places of interest. Nikko is a U.N. World Heritage Site and considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Japan. This uncommon type of map evolved out of the exposure of traditional Japanese view-style cartography and western technology. Views like this began to appear in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea in the early 20th century. Generally speaking such maps coincided with the development of railroad lines throughout the once vast Dai Nippon Teikoku or Japanese Empire. It is a distinctive style full of artistic flourish that at the same time performs a practical function. This particular map is exceptionally beautiful. It was printed via a multi-color lithographic process with delicately shaded tones and an easily comprehensible intuitive design. Essentially a transportation map, it shows the major and minor rail lines throughout Nikko, Japan. The verso of the map contains a guide to Nikko in both English and Japanese. The map folds into original art deco slipcase. All text is in Japanese and English.