Benin leaps into 21st century with new national map, its first since 1957
The last time that cartographers mapped Benin, Elvis Presley had just released "Jailhouse Rock," the Soviets had launched Sputnik — and the country was still a colony named French Dahomey. Things in the West African state have sure changed since 1957, and the old maps ...
Online map plots the many spots that boast a view of Mount Fuji
The Japan Map Center on Monday released an online guide to locations where Mount Fuji can be viewed, showing that the nation's renowned 3,776-meter volcano can be observed from as far as 300 km away. The map, entitled Fuji-san Koko, which roughly translates as Mount ...
Japan moves to develop homegrown GPS
With the proliferation of smartphones and other devices, the use of GPS — the global positioning system — has become ubiquitous. From pinpointing one's location to getting directions online, satellite-based navigation is driving the interactive use of online maps. Many may not be aware, however, ...
Ex-librarians collect Tokyo air raid maps in effort to promote peace
Former librarian Gen Yamazaki fixes his eyes on a map he found in the stack room at the National Diet Library in Tokyo in 1981. It shows Hachioji, a city on the outskirts of Tokyo, outlined in red. The 86-year-old Yamazaki knows the red markings indicate ...
'Cartographic Traditions in East Asian Maps' explores an uncharted region of study
East Asian mapmakers began rendering their corner of the globe centuries before they considered the wider world. "Cartographic Traditions in East Asian Maps" examines these geographical depictions made by the artisans and bureaucrats of China, Korea and Japan. Cartographic ...
Researcher sees digital maps as key to understanding, alleviating crises
"Maps put into pictures what policymakers traditionally see in numbers," says Elise Montiel-Welti, a researcher at Doshisha University who produces digital maps to explain global crises. "They also put us in perspective: We can see how small we are in the face of huge ...
Today’s J-blip: Virtual Japanese trainspotting
Want to see where all the trains in Japan are at once? There's a map for that.
The fruits of sharing a love of art
Tokyo Art Beat set their data free and something wonderful returned, in the form of an iPhone-app guide to the city's museums and galleries.
Google Japan explains Street View adorably
