This original Japanese illustrated map was published in 1936 as a guide to the newly designated Fuji-Hakone National Park. Entitled Fuji-Hakone Sightseeing Guide Map, it presents the journey from Tokyo through the surrounding resort region and towards the ascent of Mount Fuji.
Mount Fuji dominates the centre of the composition, surrounded by the mountains, lakes, towns, temples, hot springs and transportation routes of the Hakone area. Railways and roads are traced in bold lines, while numerous miniature buildings, travellers, vehicles and scenic attractions animate the landscape.
The map was also designed to function as a traditional Japanese sugoroku board game. Numbered spaces guide players through the region, with the suggested itinerary beginning in Tokyo and culminating in the climb of Mount Fuji, combining entertainment with geographical and tourist information.
Published shortly after Fuji and Hakone received national-park status, the design reflects the expansion of domestic tourism and modern transport in 1930s Japan. Its panoramic perspective blends traditional Japanese pictorial mapping with the practical information of a contemporary travel guide.
Richly detailed and highly decorative, this original map is both a fascinating document of pre-war Japanese tourism and an unusual example of graphic game design. It will appeal to collectors of Japanese maps, travel posters, Mount Fuji imagery and illustrated ephemera.
Original poster
Map - Games - Japan
Departure from Tokyo, Ascension Su Mont Fuji
Good condition, traces of folds, restorations
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