A detailed and important map of the island of Japan, published in the year 1752 in Paris, France. The map shows provinces, islands, towns, mountains, rivers and many more. One of the most accurate maps of Japan from the mid-18th century.

With a Baroque title cartouche at the upper left. Showing the Mer de Coree (Meer von Corea) in the west, the Sea of Japan and the 'Golphe de Jedo' as well as the city (Yedo, or Edo; the seat of power & capital of Japan under the Tokugawa Shogunate)

This beautiful hand-coloured original antique map of Japan was engraved in 1752 by Jacques Nicolas Bellin - the date is engraved in the title cartouche.

This beautiful map shows the present-day island of Kyushu named Isle de Ximo; the island of Shukoku named I. De Xixoco and the major island of Honshu named Isle de Nipon. The island contours are still speculative but harbours & towns, bays & offshore islands are noted, though their outlines and positions are still speculative and show the lack of accurate surveys brought back to Paris by navigators in the middle 18th century. (Ref: Tooley; M&B)

Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703-1772) was among the most important mapmakers of the eighteenth century. In 1721, at age 18, he was appointed hydrographer (chief cartographer) to the French Navy. In August 1741, he became the first Ingénieur de la Marine of the Depot des cartes et plans de la Marine (the French Hydrographic Office) and was named Official Hydrographer of the French King.

During his term as Official Hydrographer, the Depot was the single most active center for the production of sea charts and maps, including a large folio format sea-chart of France, the Neptune Francois. He also produced a number of sea-atlases of the world, e.g., the Atlas Maritime and the Hydrographie Francaise. These gained fame, distinction, and respect all over Europe and were republished throughout the 18th and even in the succeeding century.

Bellin also came out with smaller format maps such as the 1764 Petit Atlas Maritime, containing 580 finely detailed charts. He also contributed many of the maps for Bellin and contributed a number of maps to the 15-volume Histoire Generale des Voyages of Antoine François Prévost or simply known l'Abbe Prevost.

Bellin set a very high standard of workmanship and accuracy, thus gaining for France a leading role in European cartography and geography. Many of his maps were copied by other mapmakers of Europe.