Tadataka Ino
A geographical surveyor of the Edo period who created the first map of Japan using surveying techniques
1745–1818
Tadataka Ino, also known as Saburoemon, and later Kageyu, was a surveyor of the mid-Edo period. He was born in Koseki Village, Kazusa Province (now Kujukuri-cho, Sanbu-gun, Chiba Prefecture). At the age of 18 he was adopted by the Ino family of Sawara, Shimosa Province (now Katori City, Chiba Prefecture). He revived the family business, working hard to expand its sake-brewing and rice-trading operations, and retired at the age of 50. In 1795 Ino went to Edo to study astronomy, the calendar system, and surveying techniques under Yoshitoki Takahashi. In 1800 he surveyed the southeastern coastal area of Ezo. Subsequently, Ino spent 18 years working on 10 surveys that covered the entire coastline of the Japanese islands. After completing his surveying work, he began working on a comprehensive map of Japan, but died of illness before completing it. Kageyasu Takahashi and other cartographers took over Ino’s work and in 1821 completed Dainihon enkai yochi zenzu (Maps of Coastlines of Great Japan). Ino managed to survey only the southeastern coastal area of Ezo (territories north of Honshu); the rest of Ezo was surveyed by Rinzo Mamiya. Initially, Yoshitoki and Ino were interested in estimating how large the Earth was by finding out the distance between degrees of latitude. To achieve this end, they explained to the Shogunate that surveying work in Ezo was indispensable for the defense of the northern territories, and eventually realized their plans. A museum named after the cartographer, the Ino Tadataka Museum, was established in Katori City, Chiba Prefecture.
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千葉県香取市佐原
東京都台東区源空寺のほか、千葉県香取市の観福寺にもある。
GSI, being the competent authority of the Survey Act, conducts national surveying and mapping activities, which provide a basis for the land management.
茨城県つくば市にある国土地理院のホームページ。「古地図コレクション」のページには伊能図をはじめさまざまな古地図が、「測量・地図ミニ人物伝」のページには伊能忠敬についての解説がある。
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References
- 伊能忠敬 [著],佐久間達夫 校訂,大空社
- 平凡社
- 井上ひさし [著],講談社
- 加藤友康 [ほか]編,吉川弘文館
- 歴史学研究会 編,岩波書店