Early Examples of Portable Atlases in England and Japan
TAKANO Michiyo
Abstract   The early modern period was a time when people began to travel more frequently and morecasually. Maps were needed for travel, and there was a growing demand for practical ones. This study
introduces two atlases from eighteenth-century England and Japan, Chorographia Britanniae, or a new
set of maps of all the counties in England and Wales, and Tokai Kiso Ryodochu Kaiho Zukan, and tries tosee how they were created and disseminated.
key words: early modern atlas, book history, Chorographia BritanniaeThe early modern period was a time when

therefore to say that they both had their origin

people began to travel more frequently andin the past and their successors in the later

more casually. Maps were needed for travel,years.

and there was also a demand for highly
practical ones. This study introduces two

Let us first examine the Japanese atlas,

atlases from early modern England and Japan,

titled Tokai Kiso Ryodochu Kaiho Zukan.

and tries to see how they were created andThe size is approximately 11.5 cm x 16.0 cm,

disseminated. Coincidentally, these two smallslightly smaller than the regular-sized octavo.

books seem very much alike: Chorographia

The book is fully illustrated in woodblock

Britanniae, or a new set of maps of all theprint, by an unknown artist. The two facing

counties in England and Wales, first publishedpages are divided into halves horizontally andin London in 1742, and Tokai Kiso Ryodochu

show the main highways of the Tokaido route

Kaiho Zukan, first published in Edo（modern-in the upper half and the Kisoji route（alsoday Tokyo）, in 1765. Their use, the shape andcalled Nakasendo）in the lower half. Thesethe year of publication are very close. They

two routes connected Kyoto and Edo, and they

were first published in the mid-eighteenth

were naturally the most important highways

century and were both compactly made soof all. In 1601, Tokugawa Ieyasu began tothat travellers could easily consult themdevelop five main highways connecting Edo toon the road. The two atlases can be seen as

various places in the provinces to rule all overprecursors to modern travel maps, in that theyJapan, and Tokaido and Kisoji were amongwere used by travellers and were portable inthem.

size. On the other hand, it may be possible to

The first edition of this atlas was publishedtrace its roots back to the study of geography

by Suhara-ya Mohei in 1765, and the book was

and topography in antiquarian studies orreprinted several times, including in 1786 andnational studies in the earlier period, and1842. Suhara-ya Mohei was a prominent book山梨県立大学

国際政策学部

国際コミュニケーション学科

Department of International Studies and Communications, Faculty of Glocal Policy Management andCommunications, Yamanashi Prefectural University― 21 ―

山梨国際研究山梨県立大学国際政策学部紀要No.19（2024）

dealer in Edo, which was active from the lateare divided into two: the upper section shows

seventeenth-century for over two centuries

the Tokaido highway and the lower section

and was especially well known for their maps.

shows the Kisoji（Nakasendo）highway. The

It was in the seventeenth century when maps

Tokaido starts from Nihonbashi, east to west

depicting highways began to be published（Tokyo to Kyoto）, and the Nakasendo starts

in Japan. For example,“Shokoku Ankenfrom Sanjo Bridge, west to east（Kyoto toKaibun no Ezu”was published around 1669Tokyo）. The author of this book is unknown,

and“Tokaido Bunken Ezu”was publishedand the maps were probably made after thein 1690, and they were both folded maps.

seventeenth-century ukiyoe artist Hishikawa

The“Ise Dochu Koteiki”published in 1751 isMoronobu’s“Tokaido Bunken Ezu”. The

considered to be the first example of a portablebook consists of 150 pages. In addition to thebook of maps. In 1752,“Shinpan Tokaido

Tokaido and Kisoji highways, it includes theBunken Ezu”, a smaller version of“Tokaidoside roads, although the details are omitted.

Bunken Ezu”at a scale of about one-third, wasThe distances between the post towns arepublished. The first edition of“Kisoji Ankengiven, as well as the charges for the horses andEzu”in 1756 was a further development of

men that carried people and luggage between

this small, horizontally bound book, with athe inns. Most people were travelling on foot,double-page spread showing a pictorial map ofso they were important pieces of information.

the route between two post towns, regardlessLet’s take a look at an example（Figure 1）.

of distance.

1）

The map above shows Narumi（in modern-day

As mentioned above, the pages with maps

Aichi Prefecture）on the Tokaido highway,

Figure 1― 22 ―

Early Examples of Portable Atlases in England and Japanand the map below shows Shimosuwa（inwhen the German physician Engelbertmodern-day Nagano Prefecture）on the Kisoji

Kaempfer travelled along the Tokaido

highway. Narumi was the 40th of the 53 post

Highway, he recorded that there were about

towns along the Tokaido route from Edo

400 houses of various sizes in Narumi. He（Tokyo）to Kyoto, and was a rather well-also mentioned that people could be seen

known place for their history. Throughout theworshipping at Kasadera Temple. The map

book, the place names and other charactershere does not show any human figures, andare written in the map. The name of the post

unfortunately there is no indication of suchtown is shown in the upper right corner, andactivity, although Kasadera has been a well-

the sign of cardinal directions is shown next toknown spot among travellers. Kaempfer, whoit. Below the name of the town is the distancetravelled along the Tokaido on four occasions,to the next post town, which in this case is one

said that there were an amazing number ofand a half“ri”（5km or so）to the next town,people walking along the roads in Japan. He

Miya. The series of characters in the upper

wrote that the road was very crowded, notpart of the inscription is a brief introduction

only with Daimyo parades, but also with

about the area. For example, they say, in theordinary people travelling on pilgrimages.

ancient times, Narumi was close to the sea, andKaempfer also recorded that in the 1690s, thethe next post town, Miya, could be reachedJapanese travellers were already using maps

by walking along the coast. Narumi was also

showing the teahouses and specialties of thecalled“Yoitsuki no hama”or“Yobitsugi

local area. 2）

no hama”, and its etymology is implied.

The lower part of the pages depicts theThere is a reference to the surrounding

town of Shimosuwa. It is in a mountainous

towns of Hoshizaki and Matsuzaki, whicharea and the twenty-ninth post town of KisojiMatsuo Basho, the seventeenth-century poet,highway. Kisoji was preferred to Tokaido

mentioned in his haiku.

especially in summer because of its cooler

It is interesting that the map depicts rows

climate. In the map, we can see a castle in theof pine trees along the road, as the pine trees

bottom left, and that is Matsumoto-jo castle.

used to create a typical landscape of the area.

This is an additional piece of information for

There are four rivers, and we can see thatthe travellers since this well-known castle istravellers had to go across the four bridges,

located away from the main route of Kisoji.

among which the largest was Tenpaku（orIn this map, too, places of importance forDenbata）Bridge. The bridge on the far lefttravellers are indicated, such as shrines, hot

was called Sanda Bridge, and there we can also

spring spa, bridges and rivers in this post town

see a short phrase referring to the ornamentof Shimosuwa. The information about the hoton the top of bridge railing. This bridge wasspring spa was probably the most important

historically famous for an anecdote whichin that it was the only hot spring available inpresumably attracted travellers. Other places

all the post towns along the Kisoji highway.

of importance and interest are also marked

At the end of this book, there is informationon the map, such as Narumi Shrine, Kasadera

about the cost of travelling by horse or boat.

Temple and Tobe Castle, for example.

People could use a horse or men to help

At the end of the seventeenth century,

them travelling, and there were three types― 23 ―

山梨国際研究山梨県立大学国際政策学部紀要

No.19（2024）of charges for travelling: Honma, Karajiri

published as a portable book of maps for theand Ninsoku, depending on the weight ofconvenience of travellers in the early modern

the luggage -- a Honma can carry 36 kan ofperiod, when main roads were being developed

luggage, Norikake, 1018 kan with a person

and people were moving around more andon board, and Karajiri can carry 3-6 kan ofmore extensively in Japan. This atlas must

luggage with a person on board, and Ninsoku

have been particularly useful and popular as a（men）can carry 6 kan.（1 kan = about 3.75

guide to the roads linking Edo and Kyoto, thekg）. There is another chart showing thetwo central cities of Japan.

charges for horses and men. For example,

This atlas also bears some resemblance tothe distance from Narumi to Miya is 1.5 ri,

John Ogilby’s Britannia. Ogilby’s Britannia isor about 6 km. From Narumi to Miya, thea road atlas published in 1675, a large folio

distance is 1.5 ri, or about 6 km, and the farein which the highways of the whole country

for a Honma horse is 83 mon, 64 mon for aare drawn in 100 long narrow strips, shown

Norikake horse, and 42 mon for a Karajiriin parallel and arranged on facing pages.

horse.（1 mon = around 25 yen）

It is interesting to note that the reverse

In addition, the book has the year of

phenomenon has occurred, with diagrams

publication and the name of the publisher onplaced vertically in Britain, a country withthe last page. This is unique to and typical ofa horizontal writing culture, and in contrast,

Japanese books. Beside this, there is a bookin Japan, a country with a vertical writing

advertisement by the same Suhara-ya about

culture, the atlases are with horizontal maps.

their publications related to travelling. OneOgilby’s Britannia begins by showing theis Hokusai’s“List of Famous Places on theroads that connect London directly to theTokaido and Kisoji Roads”, a single-colour

provinces, and then the roads that connect

woodblock print（43.6 x 58.4 cm）publishedthe provinces to the cities. The names ofaround 1818. The second, entitled Zoho Nihon

places are given, but places of interest are not

Chimei Binran, is also a compact, portable

mentioned. Ogilby’s Britannia is said to havehorizontal book, and is a guide for travellers,

been very influential, and later publications

introducing shrines, temples as well as local

doubtlessly benefited from it. For example,

specialties. Needless to say, these adverts

later in the early eighteenth century, a roadwere targeted to the same group of clients asatlas of smaller size was published, titled as

the buyers of this atlas. In the 17th century,

Britannia Depicta which was based on Ogilby’s

Japan was said to have enjoyed a period ofBritannia. This（comparatively large）octavo

peace and tranquility, when people’s lives

atlas won a huge popularity and was reprinted

had settled down after a period of warfare,many times.

and more individuals had the opportunity totravel for pleasure. A visit to the shrines andAs an early example of a portable atlastemples could have been a casual one, and it

from England, let us examine Chorographia

goes without saying that many people as well

Britanniae, first published in 1742. This atlas

as goods travelled for business and public

is also known as the first genuine pocket-sizedpurposes as well.

atlas of the eighteenth century. The book is

As outlined above, this Kaiho Zukan wasmade up of forty-eight maps and diagrams― 24 ―

Early Examples of Portable Atlases in England and Japanbound together in a small octavo. The authors,system had been established by then.

or rather the creators, were Thomas Badeslade

This atlas Chorographia Britanniae is madeand William Henry Toms, the former was aup of forty-eight maps and charts in total. In

cartographer, and the latter an engraver. Thisaddition to the maps for each county, there

atlas is understudied, and not much is known

is a map of England and Wales, and a mapabout Badeslade, and neither is Toms.

of England. One of these maps shows theThis pocket atlas was originally made bycoastal ports, and the next shows the county

order and for the use of his Majesty Kingboundaries. There are also maps showing theGeorge I for his intended tour throughpublic roads from London to the provinces,

England and Wales, but the king died onand crossroads between provinces, as inJune 11th, 1727 and the publication delayed.

Ogilby’s Britannia. The maps are arranged in

Finally published in 1742, the book wasalphabetical order by place name, with one

dedicated to Frederick Prince of Wales, son

map per county（shire）, so that Yorkshire,of George II. The subtitle of this book goes:for example, is squeezed onto one map in“with the particular map of each county, isfacing pages. Because Yorkshire is such aan account of all the cities, boroughs, market

large province, the small octavo map looks

towns, parishes, and rivers therein, therather sketchy. On the other hand, both

number of members it sends to parliament,

Camden’s Britannia and Strype’s Theatre

the market and fair days ... : to the whole isof Britain include folio-sized maps, andadded an alphabetical index of all the cities,

moreover they divide Yorkshire into a few

boroughs, & market towns ...”Thus, in themaps so that each map is far more detailed.

map of each county, on the left-hand side there

Nevertheless, in Chorographia Britanniae, theis a blank column in which the number ofdistances to the different parts of the country

MPs from the county, the number of boroughs

are shown in a separate chart, which shouldand church parishes, and the names andenable the travellers to plan their journeydays of the markets are shown. In the lower

with considerable certainty. It also covers allpart of each map, there is a scale bar which

the main towns and the market towns. This,would seem essential for the travellers totogether with the main roads, would haveplan their journey. In the 1745 edition, there

been a useful guide for eating, shopping andis an inserted list of fares for carriages andspending a night on the way.

3）

As mentioned above, the same kind ofYorkshire（Figure 2）is described as being

information for travellers was also given in

divided into East, West and North Ridings

the Japanese counterpart. It seems that fares

and as having an Archbishop, but because

are basically determined by distance, but thereof the vastness of the area, there are far too

are specific sections where“a shilling will get

many market towns to list on the map. Then,

you there”, such as from Westminster Hall tothe names of the thirteen boroughs only are

Bloomsbury Square or Soho Square. As in thementioned on the map. There is no space

Japanese book, there is also information on theto name all the forty-six market towns. A

cost of crossing rivers as well. All in all, it is aquestion occurs: Why wasn’t it divided into

useful resource for travellers, and these lists

two or three maps? There should have been

imply that in both countries the monetary

some detailed maps available for the travellers

ships.

― 25 ―

山梨国際研究山梨県立大学国際政策学部紀要

No.19（2024）

Figure 2
to consult at that time. On the other hand, inguides to help travellers get around. It is very

the map of Durham, for example, you will see

interesting to note that at about the samethat all the market towns are named, thanks

time similar social and cultural movements

to the small size of Durham itself. There iswere taking place in the East and West. The

even a geographical description which centred

developments of these portable maps inon the rivers. It mentions what the boundaries

the two countries were caused by the needare between east and west, north and south,

to respond to broadly similar economic

and what rivers flow through the area. It

circumstances: growing prosperity, more

may be slightly reminiscent of Camden’strade, more travel, and peaceful conditions

Britannia. This overview of the book may

in the country. This study introduced two

imply that the work of seventeenth-century

early examples of pocket-size atlases from

antiquarian studies especially in topography

early modern England and Japan, and it

and geography, such as Camden’s andseems that although they both were very

Ogilby’s, was influential and expanded in thepopular, the use of these atlases would haveeighteenth century, leading to modern travel

been different in each country. The Japaneseguidebooks and road maps.

example was apparently more practical thanthe English atlas with two main roadmaps in

Coincidentally, these two atlases fromthe same book and it was fully appreciatedeighteenth-century Japan and England show

by a wide range of people, whereas the latterthat in the early modern period, as people

might have embodied a somewhat politicalexpanded their range of activities, there

aim with references to the number of MPs

was a demand for compact maps and traveland parishes in the county. It was originally― 26 ―

Early Examples of Portable Atlases in England and Japanmade by order of the king and was dedicatedto the prince, so the book seems to spread theidea of a well-governed kingdom. A further
look at the contemporary maps and travel
guidebooks will enhance the understanding of
the purposes and the functions of these earlymodern portable atlases.
Notes
1 ）See esp. Chapter 3 of Mitsumasa Yamamoto,Formation and Development of Road Maps（山本光正
著『街道絵図の成立と展開』臨川書店、2006）.
2 ）See Engelbert Kaempfer, The History of Japan:
Together with a Description of the Kigdon of Siam, 3vols.（Glasgow: James MacLehose, 1906）
3 ）The 1742 edition lacks this, so presumably thecharts were newly inserted in the later editions.

Acknowledgements
This work was supported by JSPS
KAKENHI Grant Numbers 19K21631 and22K18473. I am grateful to Dr. George
Southcombe for reading a draft of this essay
and providing comments on it.

― 27 ―