, . / [Appendix Map No. 1. Keijo Capital City Plan Area Plan, Appendix Map No. 2. Keijo Capital City Plan Land Use Map.].

1925 Japanese Urban Planning Wall Maps of Seoul (Keijo), Colonial Korea

Publication Date: 1925

About this Item

Good to very good. Light wear along fold lines. Verso repairs to fold separations and at fold intersections. Slight loss at some fold intersections. Closed edge tears professionally repaired on verso. Slipcase present but in poor condition. Size 34 x 51.25 Inches. This is a set of seven large-format c. 1925 planning maps of Seoul (Keij?), produced during the Japanese colonial period. Together, they constitute a remarkable survival from the Japanese colonial era and provide a window into a forgotten chapter in the history of one of the world's largest cities. A Closer Look This set consists of seven large maps of Seoul, each measuring 51.25 inches across by 34 inches tall, as well as a cover containing an index. Each map contains the phrase 'Keij? Capital City Plan' (??????, 'capital' referring to the capital of Ch?sen, or Japanese Korea) and maintains the same 'base map,' a topographic map with information on the natural and built environment (waterways, elevation, terrain, roads, railroads, buildings, etc.), as explained in a legend (??) at the bottom-right. On this 'base map,' colorful representations of various sorts of topical information are displayed, with each map utilizing its own specific legend. Some recognizable landmarks, especially the Han River, the main railway station, Namsan (?? South Mountain) at the center towards the right, and the Gyeongbokgung Palace at the top-center, help to orient the viewer. Discussing Each Map Appendix Map No. 1. Keij? Capital City Plan Area Map (????? ?????????) - This map highlights the most heavily populated areas of the city and areas ripe for expansion (the population was growing rapidly during these years). At the center towards the top is a red dot marking the site of Keij? 's City Hall (????), built between 1924 and 1926 and still forming part of Seoul's City Hall. Concentric circles emanate from the building at 2,000-meter intervals. Blue shading indicates areas unsuitable for housing due to the presence of water, while green shading denotes an elevation too steep for easily constructing buildings. Among the most significant features on this map, which is relevant to later maps as well, is the plan to reclaim and utilize the island of Yeouido (???) towards the bottom-left (marked here as '?????'). Historically an uninhabited sandbar along the Han River, the island was used for Seoul's first airfield starting in the late 1920s, but was still prone to flooding and was gradually phased out as an airport after the Korean War. Eventually, in the 1960s, dredging, reclamation, hydrological works, and other infrastructure made the island an ideal location as part of wider plans to develop areas along the Han River. Government offices (including the National Assembly Building) and businesses began to flock to the island, and it quickly became the political, financial, and media center of Seoul and South Korea writ large. Appendix Map No. 2. Keij? Capital City Plan Land Use Map (????? ?????????) - This map demonstrates the intended use, in economic terms, of different areas of the city. Bold blue lines indicate the main corridors through the city, including the Hangang Bridge (at this point just a footbridge) over the Han River, the first such bridge to span the waterway and only the second after the nearby railway bridge, completed in 1900. Red shaded areas indicate commercial space, blue for residential space, yellow for industrial use, and green for areas yet to be determined. Like other outlying areas included within the boundaries of the plan (thick red line around the outside of the city), the large planned industrial area to the south and west of Yeouido Island was not part of Keij? when this plan was prepared. The area was annexed by Keij?/Seoul in stages in the following decades, becoming Yeongdeungpo District and indeed becoming an industrial hub as envisioned. Appendix Map No.3…. Street Network Map (????? ??????????) - This map's legend presents lines of different colors a.

Seller Inventory # SeoulPlanMaps-japanese-1925

Bibliographic Details

• Title: , . / [Appendix Map No. 1. Keijo Capital City Plan Area Plan, Appendix Map No. 2. Keijo Capital City Plan Land Use Map.].
• Publication Date: 1925
• Seller catalogs:
  • JAPAN-CHINA-KOREA