Railway Mapple and other Japanese rail maps

[miyakoji]

So, for one reason or another, I checked out Shobunsha's website today, and what did I find but a new series of railway maps.

 

http://www.mapple.co.jp/publ/railway.html

 

These look pretty good, I think.  I was wondering if any of you guys in Japan have seen these yet.  I might see if I can order one through Kinokuniya USA.  This reminded me that Shinchosha has had something similar going for a while now.

 

http://www.shinchosha.co.jp/railmap/

 

Again, I haven't seen one of these, unfortunately they were all published after I left the country, but they look pretty interesting.

 

*Mods, I didn't know where to put this

[bikkuri bahn]

Railway maps are enjoying somewhat of a boom here in Japan, you can find a lot on display on the endcaps in bookstores.  I have checked out the Mapple railway map series, which is the latest.  Mapple, as you may know, is a popular road map series that's been around for years.  Basically, this product is their road map with the rail lines highlighted, and some (though not all) abandoned rail lines also outlined.  If you want a general map of Japan in addition to a rail map, this is a decent choice.  Shinchosa's series is aimed a bit more to railway enthusiasts (diagrams of switchbacks, more railway history background info etc.) but overall map scale is smaller and less detailed.  If you are not so interested in actual topography but rather track diagrams, I highly recommend Kodansha's individual line map series:

 

http://shop.kodansha.jp/bc/books/tokaido/

 

Tracks/routes are not drawn to scale, but all tracks, switches, etc. are diagrammed, and give you much more information on railway operations than the simple single lines of the two map series described above.

[Kabutoni]

Awesome! I'd love myself a book on detailed track plans of especially lines of small private companies in the 70s where there still was some local freight traffic next to the passenger services (like on the Gakunan nowadays).

[Nick_Burman]

A friend of mine went on a business/family (his parents hail from Kumamoto) trip and bought a Shinchosha railway atlas of Kyushu. It's very good, shows just about everything, Shinkansen, main line, branch line, narrow gauge, logging railways, open and closed. Problem is, no Romaji...

 

 

Cheers NB