Aerial images of Japan - anything better?

[Nick_Burman]

Hi all,

 

Does anyone know a online source with good aerial images of Japan? Normally I use both Google Earth and Bing Maps, but their coverage of Japan is patchy - very good in metropolitan areas (I've "ridden" the Keikyu system a few times using GE), average outside (the Tsukuba Express is still under costruction as per GE) and positively lousy in rural areas (most of the Toyama Chiho network is invisible). Is there by any chance a Japanese image provider with good coverage?

 

 

Cheers NB

[Kitayama]

Not exactly what you are looking for - but there is a site with aerial images taken from 1946 until 2001.

 

http://archive.gsi.go.jp/airphoto/search.html

[bikkuri bahn]

Not exactly what you are looking for - but there is a site with aerial images taken from 1946 until 2001.

 

http://archive.gsi.go.jp/airphoto/search.html

 

 

I'm glad you suggested that site.  I like it very much, not so much for the modern views, but rather for the older pictures.  I'm more interested in the much more track-dense railway infrastructure pre-1986, and that source is very good.  The early post war photos were taken by USAF reconnaissance planes.

[stevenh]

Any chance you can explain how to see said imagery? I'm on my work computer with zero Kanji/Japanese ability and I don't know what buttons to press :D

[miyakoji]

Any chance you can explain how to see said imagery? I'm on my work computer with zero Kanji/Japanese ability and I don't know what buttons to press :D

Based on a quick look around, it looks like unfortunately you'll have to have fonts installed.  Plus it's not as easy to use as Google Maps for example.  The availability of historical maps is what makes it worth anything.

[Mudkip Orange]

(I've "ridden" the Keikyu system a few times using GE)

 

I know this is slightly off topic, but if you want to "ride" the Keikyu you gotta check out SIN1000IGBT on YouTube:

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/SIN1000IGBT

 

He has every track mile covered.

[marknewton]

...positively lousy in rural areas (most of the Toyama Chiho network is invisible).

 

Nick, I found that I could see most of the Chitetsu network on Yahoo Japan. Here's a start - Iwakuraji station.

 

http://map.yahoo.co.jp/pl?type=scroll&lat=36.6081717&lon=137.3199361&mode=map&datum=wgs

 

I didn't realise you were a fan of this most interesting railway! 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Nick_Burman]

Mark, I am and indeed it is a most interesting system, but right now I'm more interested in seeing Tateyama Sabo and Kurotetsu trackage. And imaging south of Iwakuraji is still poor...no good res pics even on Yahoo Japan...

 

As it happens, I also have a liking for the Hokutetsu however my focus is for one reason or another on the Kanaiwa line...

 

Cheers NB

[Darklighter]

Any chance you can explain how to see said imagery? I'm on my work computer with zero Kanji/Japanese ability and I don't know what buttons to press :D

Click in the area you want to see, move the map like in Google Maps, zoom in by using the slider at the top. Then press the blue button at the left side, wait until icons (each symbolizing an arial image) appear in the map. Click one of those icons to see the corresponding arial image (you can enlarge the image by selecting 200 dpi at the left side).