They say April 19 is chizu no hi(地図の日), Day of Map or saisho no ippo no hi (最初の一歩の日), Day of the First Step. Why? Because Ino Tadataka (伊能忠敬) who completed the first map of Japan created using modern surveying techniques left Edo (江戸) to survey Ezochi (蝦夷地, now Hokkaido) on this day in 1800 at the age of 56.
According to Wikipedia, he spent 3,736 days making measurements and travelled 34,913 kilometres. An atlas collecting all of his survey work, entitled Dai Nihon Enkai Yochi Zenzu(大日本沿海輿地全図：maps of Japan's coastal area) was published in 1821.
In those days when there were no cars, trains and planes, I wonder how he could manage traveling such a long distance.
No comments:
Post a Comment