The Tensions of Heterochronicity on Cartographies of Imperial Motion in Japan

Abstract

This chapter analyses the ways, in which intersections between historical narratives and cartographic design shaped the spatial imaginary of Japanese audiences. It follows early modern, modern, and contemporary visualizations of two narratives of imperial movement in Japan: the eastward march of the legendary first Emperor Jinmu and the Korean campaign of the equally legendary Empress Jingu. The study cases show how cartography was enlisted for a range of purposes, from confident depictions of exemplary movements to dynamic trajectories that accommodated multiple points of view. The study thus provides an example of the diagnostic value of historical motion maps as a litmus test for the agendas to which historical and geographical knowledge were employed by different ideological positions.