How did the Japanese live 100 years ago at the dawn of the Showa era? This book meticulously interprets rare civilian maps from 100 cities across Japan, revealing the pre-war urban prototypes and showcasing historical changes through town names, schools, railways, and more. Over the approximately 100 years since the Showa era began, cities have transformed dramatically due to earthquakes, war damage, and rapid development, yet their original forms and the memories of civilian life are preserved here. Tracing the memories of each city through precious old maps from the early Showa period, this book compiles 100 city maps, totaling 256 maps, making it the first comprehensive collection of historical city maps from Hokkaido to Okinawa. It includes old town names, railways and trams before discontinuation, rivers before culverting, cinemas, street shops, schools, government offices, local industries, and factories—all cherished records of the foundations of civilian life in the early Showa era.
