Nagano Prefecture - formerly known as the province of Shinano, and was divided among many local daimyo during the Sengoku period.
In 713, the road which traverses Mino Province and Shinano Province was widened to accommodate increasing numbers of travelers through the Kiso District of modern Nagano Prefecture.
In the Sengoku Period, Shinano Province was often split among several fiefs and several other castle towns developed, including Komoro, Ina, and Ueda. Shinano was one of the major centers of Takeda Shingen's power during his wars with Uesugi Kenshin and others.
In 1871, during the Meiji Period, with the abolition of the han system and the establishment of prefectures Haihan Chiken after the Meiji Restoration, Shinano Province was administratively separated in 1871 into Nagano and Chikuma prefectures. These two tentative governmental and territorial units were then reconfigured together again in 1876. This became the modern prefecture of Nagano, which remains substantially unchanged since that time.

Japanese maps are well known for their exceptional beauty and high quality of workmanship. Early Japanese cartography has its own very distinctive projection and layout system. Japanese maps made prior to the appearance of Commodore Perry and the opening of Japan in the mid to late 1750s often have no firm directional orientation, incorporate views into the map proper, and tend to be hand coloured woodblock prints.
Later Japanese maps, produced in the late Edo and throughout the Meiji period (early to mid 19th century) draw heavily upon western maps as models for their own work. While many of these later maps maintain elements of traditional Japanese cartography such as the use of rice paper, woodblock printing, and delicate hand color, they also incorporate western directional orientation, projection systems, and structural norms.

As early as the 7th century AD the Japanese acquired knowledge of surveying and map engraving through their cultural links with Korea and China: their earliest surviving map dates from the 14th century. The first uncertain attempts to show Japan on European maps were not made until the mid 15th century (Fra Mauro, 1459) and even in 1540 Munsters map of the New World still show "zipangu". Jesuit influence in the early days were responsible for any data collected about Japan at this time. From 1640 Japan closed its frontiers (except for the Port of Nagasaki) to the "barbarians" from the West and consequently there was little opportunity for compiling data for accurate mapping. It was not until the 18th century that maps by Valck, de Vaugondy and others started to show a better outline of the country, even incorporating Japanese characters into the images. (Ref: M&B; Tooley)

General Description:
Paper thickness and quality: - Light & stable
Paper color: - White
Age of map color: - Original  
Colors used: - Red
General color appearance: - Authentic  
Paper size: - 78in x 38in (2.0m x 975mm)
Margins: - Min 1/4in (5mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - None
Plate area: - Folds as issued
Verso: - None