I use Google Maps for almost all my contemporary Tokyo mapping needs. Tip: for better search results, first find the place name in Japanese (via a Google search or Google Translate), then do your Google Maps search with the Japanese words. For historical mapping resources, I’ve included several resources below. (The University of Texas’s US Army maps from 1945 are an essential resource).
Contemporary Tokyo maps:
- Tokyo City Atlas: A Bilingual Guide: for serious walkers, geography buffs, and urban adventurers, this map book is a must-have. It’s not pocket-sized, but fits easily in your bag. It has been my well-worn companion on Tokyo’s city streets.
- Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI): Access via HERE (also click here for Japanese portal; includes historical maps roughly every 10 years from 1936-2007)
- Additional GSI link: 国土画像情報を見る（地理院地図） – this portal has aerial photos from every 10 years or so, integrated into an interface similar to the Google Maps aerial map view
- Similar to the above line, but this portal has stand-alone maps (GSSI)
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport hazard map portal site 国土交通省ハザードマップポータルサイト
20th-century Tokyo maps:
- Tokyo and other city maps from 1945): Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas Libraries; and old Edo Map
- WW2 era aerial photos of Tokyo 「地理院地図」から旧日本陸軍や米軍の撮影した戦前・戦後の空中写真の公開を開始
- 東京市電・都電路線史年表 Tokyo tram, streetcar route history chronology
Edo-era Tokyo maps:
- Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas Libraries: old Edo Map
- Edo Maps
Japan historical maps:
- Japan Maps (including detailed Tokyo and other city maps from 1945): Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas Libraries;
- International Research Center for Japanese Studies: Rare Books and Maps on Japan in European Languages (alternate link)
- Japanese Historical Map Collection, University of California, Berkeley
- Japan GIS Resources, Harvard University (1898 example)
- Old Maps Online: Fairly easy to navigate. I’ve used briefly, but with good results.
- Scanned historical maps 所蔵地図データベース
- Database of for-purchase digital downloads (with previews): 京極堂の古地図CD
- Noda City Library Map Collection 所蔵資料紹介>所蔵絵図
Books:
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