Landscapes of power, recreation and convenience

The political unification of Japan during the Edo period (1615–1868) profoundly impacted the conceptualization of space and borders. During this period, Japan transformed from a collection of regional fiefdoms into a network of provinces centrally administered by the shogun at the capital city, Edo (modern-day Tokyo). With control of most of what is now modern-day Japan, the ruling Tokugawa shogunate sought more complete geographic data of the country. This information was then made available to popular artists who reimagined it for various clients. Mapping Edo: The Social and Political Geography of Early Modern Japan at the Cantor Arts Center examines the shift in how Edo-period Japan was visualized by the ruling shogunate, commercial interests, art makers, and its citizens.

Mapping Edo: The Social and Political Geography of Early Modern Japan
Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, California, USA
August 21, 2013 – February 2, 2014
museum.stanford.edu

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