Globes and Early Maps of Japan

Because I'll still be updating the Wu Zetian sections in the meantimes, this is a post for all lovers of cartography, because I also spend a lot of time researching the medieval and silk trade routes, so these often come up in writing and researching blog posts.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Japan#History_maps

World Map according to Antiquity Greece (c.546BCE[2006], PD)  Anaximander

World Map by the Librarian of Alexandria (194[1883CE]BCE, PD), Eratosthenes, Edward Herbert Bunbury

You may be thinking, what does an Ancient Greek map have to do with Kimono? Interestingly this map is the projection upon which Christopher Colombus the Fool (1451-1506) plotted his path to the 'Indies', but eventually got lost in the Caribbean and called it Japan because in his mind that was Japan.[1] This means that everything he did in the Caribbean, was because he believed he had found the mystical land of gold told in the tales of Marco Polo (1254-1324). Therefore the tales of the horrors found in Cuba was deemed appropriate by the Indies fool to also occur to Japan.[2] Thus with the treaty of Tordesillas (1492) which divvied up the known globe into two halves to be given to the Iberian kings by the authority of the Pope, European global imperialism and colonisation officially began. This saw the death of the Aztec ruler Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin ( c. 1466 – 29 June 1520 ) when Hernan Cortez the bloodthirsty Conquistador began slaughtering his way across previously friendly emissiaries of the Aztecs, Francisco Pizarro (active 1520-1541) across the Incan Empire with the unjustifiable death of Atahualpa (1502-1533).[2] 

Yes you read that correctly, because the Fool wanted gold, got lost and nearly didnt find any, he enslaved, genocided and colonised his way through an entire continent of cultures, languages, peoples, lands and species.[2] Thus if these maps had been accurate, Kimono could have been totally wiped from the face of the earth in the name of Deus and Popus Innocentis of all their crimesus.

Tabula_Peutingeriana 300

Peutinger table (c300[1200/1886]CE, PD) Anonymusis

This is actually an Intinerarium, which is a Roman travellers guide map to the Roman Empire which goes into Asia, but not further than Sri Lanka most likely.

Beatus Map

European Atlas (c.700, PD) Beatus

Gyoki Travel Map

Oldest Surviving Map of Japan (c.750[1656,2010]CE, PD) Gyōki Bosatsu

The oldest surviving copy of c 750 CE map made for a travelling monk, not widely circulated until the 1200s.

Al-Bahlki Map

Early Islamic Atlas (c.934, PD) Abu Zayd al-Bahlki

See Ibn Hawqal Map.

Ibn Hawqal Map 977

English translated Hawqal Map (977[2016]CE, PD) Ibn Hawqal, Iran's National Museum, Ro4444

The Islamic scholars of the Abbasid Caliphate had their Golden Age (700-1200 CE) and inspired by the rigorous work of Abu Zayd Ahmed ibn Sahl al-Bahlki (850-934 CE) created world or 'earth maps' based on more empirically sound evidence than that used by Columbus the Fool. As you can see, Hawqal is still unaware Japan exists, but these maps were a far cry more up to date than White European maps, and often required Islamic scholars to actually make as Christian cartography at this time was an absolute shambles. The K---r word however is a naughty word, equivalent to Pagan lands here.

Cotton Map 1050

Cotton Map (c.1050, PD) British Library

One of the earliest global maps in Britain. The prawn thing is Britain, and its squiggly companion Ireland. Unfortunately only goes as far as Sri Lanka in the 'Eastern' direction. Other Arabic scholars knew of Japan from the Silk Road by this point.

Diwanu Lughat at-Turk 1072

Turkish Map (1072, PD) Mahmud al-Kashgari

A Turkish world map which has Japan on it due to the connection with China that Turkey held as a point near to the Silk Road. As you can see below though, the Europeans are still away with the fairies here.

Two Bahlki-Anaximander style Maps (c950-1100[1883]CE, PD) Liepzig Codex 

Left is Islamic, Right is European Christian

Isidoran Map 1200

Isidore Map (c1100, PD) Anonymous

The Isidore maps interestingly build on the European renaissance rediscovery of Antiquity Greece cartographical features. It was said that Asia at this time was said to hold Paradise, due to the fact that the sun rose in the East. As you can see from 'Paradis est locuss in orientis par' (Paradis is located in the East), Orient simply being the Greek word for East. This idea persisted from 700 until about 1500.[3]

Liliths cousin Eve in a garden (c.1412CE, PD) Paul, Johan and Herman

Erbstorfer Mappa Mundi 1218

Ebstorfer Atlas (c.1218, PD) Gervase of Tilbury

A Mappa Mundi gifted to Otto IV (1175-1218), a British-born Ruler of the Holy Roman Empire by Gervase of Essex which stretches out to the Indian Ocean which sits at the top and follows the tradition that Heaven was to be found in the East.

Hereford Mappa Mundi

Hereford Mappa Mundi (1300CE, PD) Hereford Cathedral Library

Paradise (1300CE, PD) Hereford Cathedral Library

Hereford Mappa Mundi locates Asia at the top, with Paradise being said to be where Japan could possibly have been understood be located and this ideology was printed in the 1940s in Japanese textbooks. The actual likelihood is that the map simply goes to Sri Lanka.

Gangnido

Gangnido (1402CE, PD) Kim Sahyung, Lee Moo, Lee Hui

Fra Mauro Map 1459

Global Map (1459CE, PD) Fra Mauro

The first European map to contain Japan as a listed country on a global map.

Cosmographia Claudii Ptolomaei 1467

Medieval European Map (1467, PD) Nicolaus Germanius

Haedong Jegukgi 1471

Haedong Jegukgi (1471, PD) Anonymous

One of the earliest Korean maps of Japan. King Seonjeong had this commissioned for him in 1470, when Japan was really only known about through the intermediary nation of Ryukyuu at Tangashima Island and in China as 'Wa'.

Erdapfel Globe 1492

Erdapfel Globe Gores (c.1492[1908], PD) Martin Behaim, Ernst Ravenstein 

'Cipangu' on Erdapfel sits on far right (c.1492[2006]CE, CC2.0) Alexander Franke  

Ruysch Map 1507

World Map (1507[2006]CE, PD) Johann Ruysch

Japan here is listed as Sipganus, but is ultimately conflated with Hispaniola or Spagnola and uses Portuguese sources. This was a map available to the Low Countries, and therefore to the British schoarship nexus of the times. Spagnola is said by Johannes to be Zipangu, and ties in with the common theory of Columbus the Fool that Japan had been located in the Caribbean by the early 1500s.

Martin Waldseemuller 1507

Waldseemuller Map (1507CE, PD) Martin Waldseemuller

In no surprise to anyone, the German cartographer Martin decided he was too good for actual facts and placed Zipangri off to the side of top right of his projection.

Piris Reis projection 1513

Behaim on left, Reis on right (2023, PD) Rjjjiii

When he Turks began to go downhill by relying on the Christians.

Zoppino

Japan, (1528, PD) Nicolò Zoppino

Early European map of Japan by itself from a Venetian cartographer.

Homem Map 1554

Squiggle Japan (1554, PD) Lopo Homem

Mercator 1569

Mercator Map (1569, PD) Gerard Mercator

Important Flemish mapmaker.

Orbis Terrarum 1570

Japan is relatively long and fat here (1570, PD) Abraham Ortelius

Dourado 1571

Japan in Portuguese Atlas (1571, PD) Fernao vaz Duorado

Teixera 1595

Iaponiae Insulae (1595, PD) Luis Texeira

Kunyu Wanguo Quantu 1602

China is the center here (1602, PD) Matteo Ricci

Comissioned by a Chinese Emperor from a European catrographer, this map has China as the center of the modern world at a time Maps meant you owned those countries. Becuase imperialism.

Robert Dudley 1636

Giapan and Kore (1636, PD) Robert Dudley

The first map after the establishing and closing of trade relations with England by an Englishman.

Modern Protestant Map 1658

Terrarum (1658, PD) Nicolaes Visscher

Bibliography

[1] https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/christopher-columbus#:~:text=He%20was%20sure%20that%20he%20had%20found%20Cipangu%20(Japan)%2C,a%20revolt%20against%20the%20Europeans.

[2]  https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ingd/hd_ingd.htm#:~:text=The%20search%20for%20gold%20became,taken%20from%20rivers%20and%20streams.

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatus_map

Social Links

One stop Link shop: https://linktr.ee/Kaguyaschest

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/KaguyasChest?ref=seller-platform-mcnav 

https://www.instagram.com/kaguyaschest/ 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5APstTPbC9IExwar3ViTZw 

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/LuckyMangaka/hrh-kit-of-the-suke/ 

刺し子 | Sashiko | Little Stab Stitch | Pattern #18

Sashiko ( 刺し子 | Little Stab ) is a simple continuous running stitch design atop a surface. The stitch is slightly longer atop than on the underneath.[1] Often many Sashiko designs are done in an interlocking, repetitive or overlapping manner, often using indigo cloth and white thread.[3] The nature of Boro and Sashiko traps heat, making it more likely to be found in the North of Japan where it is colder, also helping enable the cloth to last longer. Many of the motifs common to traditional Sashiko designs are from plants, animals or nature like clouds and steam.[3] Many Sashiko techniques and styles derive from local folklore and rural communities and were made for practical everyday wear.[4][5]

Fireman's Sashiko Jacket (c.1865, PD) LACMA

Sashiko began as a practical design element for the Heimin wives of farms/fisheries to show off their Embroidery skills in making kimono, like repairing Boro Kosode.[3] Due to the influence of the sumptuary laws, most Boro and Hemp Kimono were made creative by dying them in indigo, a readily available local dye for Heimin and some Chonin who travelled around for Sankin Kotai.[4][7] Japanese firemen until the 19th century used to have their uniform made from Sashiko stitch with padding, which was drenched in water to act a shield from fire during rescue attempts.[2] By the late 17th century however, these designs began to become part and parcel of a wider revolutionary aesthetic reform of Kosode surfaces which made the Chonin look more powerful than the Samurai, which was a no-no for the Fudai and Kuge Daimyo. In a bid to curb these powerful aesthetic markers of status, the Heimin were given designated fabrics and dyes which saw a rise in the popularity of Indigo Sashiko.[4]

Hokusai's New Patterns (1824, PD/CC4.0) British Musuem, Katsushika Hokusai

By the 18th century, fashionable Sashiko Kosode used local folklore to distinguish local meanings specific to their maker and communities, like the Hoshi-ami (干し網｜Fish Net) design used by fishermen's wives when making Donzu/Noragi Coats, or for some Chonin the common characteristics of their daily lives from the city.[3][5] Particularly in the merchant town of Osaka, Sashiko would have a popular infusion of mother's frugal stitchwork, and being part of the new fashionable elite emerging there. By the 19th century, these designs were incredibly intricate and were no longer done in the Boro spirit, but to show off how skilled their creator artisan/embroiderer was.[5] For example the designs of  Hokusai-Moyo ( 北斎模様 | Hokusai-patterns/designs) which were particularly popular after Hokusai published his 'New Patterns' ( 新形小紋帳 | 1824).[8]

Decorative Harakata Sashiko (2019, CC4.0) 漱石の猫

Ms Endo teaches Harakata Sashiko (2018, FU; Education) Copyright Yamagata Newspaper Broadcasting 

 With the introduction of new chemical dyes and machine made textiles, Kimono were increasingly less labour intensive by the early 20th century seeing a decline in the popularity of Sashiko designs from 1950-1980.[6] As part of the 1990s Web Kimono boom however, teachers like Kiyoko Endo (dates unknown) began teaching laymen artisans and craftspeople how Sashiko is used as a folk art (Endo teaches Harakata Sashiko, a Yonezawa style) and has become popular today in the West amongst embroiderers.

Bibliography

[1] https://www.athreadedneedle.com/blogs/with-a-threaded-needle/sashiko-kogin-hitomezashi-boro-what-are-we-stitching 

[2] https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O18904/firemans-hood-unknown/

[3] https://indigoniche.com/2018/06/26/sashiko-origins-and-designs/#:~:text=Sashiko%20is%20a%20Japanese%20folk,in%20repeating%20or%20interlocking%20patterns.

[4] See Sumptuary Laws (1604-1685) in Bijin #3

[5] See The Genroku Osaka Bijin (1680 - 1700) in Bijin #3

[6] https://www.inspirationsstudios.com/the-history-of-sashiko/

[7] See Patterns #17

[8] https://mag.japaaan.com/archives/113368

Social Links:

Linktree (One click to all and extended Links): https://linktr.ee/Kaguyaschest

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/KaguyasChest?ref=seller-platform-mcnav or https://www.instagram.com/kaguyaschest/ or https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5APstTPbC9IExwar3ViTZw

Art Post 3

 I think.

Completely was overwhelmed this week and forgot to schedule time for making the blog. In lieu, art blog saves the day once more!

Courtesan Kakemono (c1695, PD) Hishikawa School 

Portrait of a man in a silk Kimono (1696, PD) Michiel van Musscher

Reclining Courtesan and attendant (c1704, PD) Hasegawa Eishun

Courtesan with looped hair (c1716) Kaigetsudo Doshin

Walking Courtesan Kakemono (c1748, PD) Nishikawa Sukenobu, British Museum

Woman in Florals (c1765, PD) Suzuki Harunobu

Hashira-E (c1772, PD) Toensai Kanshi, British Museum

Courtesans of the Tamaya house panel section (c1785, PD) Utagawa Toyoharu, British Museum

Fresh Model Designs (c1789, PD) Takikawa School, British Museum

Young woman in Boat (1802, PD) Utagawa Toyokuni I

Starfrost Contemporary Manners (1820, PD) Utagawa Kunisada

Wakare ga Iyaso (1859, PD) Utagawa Kunisada

Traditional Padded Oshi-E (c1868-1912) Sekka, Khalili Collection

Hitoe (1876, PD) Jevella, Met

Osono attacks Rokusuke (1881, PD)  Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 

The Green Kimono (c1882, PD) Frans Verhas

Susanoo rescues Kushinada Hime from the dragon (1886) Toyohara Chikanobu

Beautiful Women of the Present Day (1890, PD) Yoshu Chikanobu

Contes Japonaises (1893, PD) Félix Oudart

Tricora Corset Advert (1899, PD) Boston Public Library

Darling of the Gods Theatre Programme (1903, PD) Yoshio Ma[r]kino

Anglo-Japanese Alliance Postcard (1905, CC4.0/PD) 三越百貨店

Ota Hisa or Hanako (1908, PD) Sport & Salon

Spanish Woman in Kimono (c190[8], PD) Gustave Gillman

Woman in a Kimono (1910, PD) Walter Crane

Woman in kimono (1910, PD) Julian Fałat

 Geesje Kwak in Japanse kimono voor kamerscherm (c1913) Leiden Universitat

Princess Yasuko of Fushimi (1917, PD) Wikimedia

Takahashi Korekiyo with his Family in the Garden (1920, PD) 婦人画報

Prince Kitashirakawa Naruhisa and his Family (1921, PD)

Portrét dámy v dračím kimonu (1922, PD) Egon Josef Kossuth

Kane Tanaka (c1923, CC1.0) Molly887956321

Princess Kuniko of Kuni (c1936, PD) 

What did the lady forget? (1937, PD) Shochiku, Sumiko Kurishima, Mitsuko Yoshikawa, Chōko Iida

Schoolmarm at graduation ceremony (1953, PD) Meomeo15

Women in Kimono (1956, PD?) 投稿者によるスキャン

Kimono in 1957 (1957, PD?) 投稿者によるスキャン

Kappou-Gi (1969, CC4.0) Meomeo15

Tokyo Japan (2006, CC2.0) Dennis Keller

Kimono Girls in Kyoto (2008, CC2.0) Rumpleteaser on Flickr

成人式の前撮り@京都 (2020, CC2.0) Norisa1

A varied study of some Kimono, and a reminder of how KTC can be transnational. Musscher's portraits are a friendly reminder of where and when Kimono were worn, Kimono were first worn by foreigners as early Kosode by Korean immigrants in 814 CE to my knowledge, then by Africans by perhaps circa 1570-1582, then by Europeans somewhere between 1570-1620, the English by 1605, and the Dutch by 1609.[1][2][3] The Kimono was first transported to Europe in large quantities by the Dutch in the 17th century after 1641. So much for being a 'Japanese' garment.

Bibliography

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koreans_in_Japan#Heian_period_(794_to_1185)

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuke or see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanban_trade

[3] The Letters of William Adams 1611-1617 from Memorials of the Empire of Japon in the XVI & XVII Centuries, and The L T. Rundell, 1850, pp.17-88, @ http://anthony.sogang.ac.kr/LettersWilliamAdams.html and the Diaries of Richard Cocks from Diary of Richard Cocks, Cape-merchant in the English Factory in Japan, 1615-1622, Richard Cocks, 1882[2014], pp.Preface-349 at https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46803/46803-h/46803-h.htm

Social Links

One stop Link shop: https://linktr.ee/Kaguyaschest

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/KaguyasChest?ref=seller-platform-mcnav or https://www.instagram.com/kaguyaschest/ or https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5APstTPbC9IExwar3ViTZw https://www.pinterest.co.uk/LuckyMangaka/hrh-kit-of-the-suke/