Gyoki-zu

This is a map of Japan that is said to have been created by the monk Gyoki (668-749) during the Nara period. There are several examples, such as the "Map of Japan" (1305, Kagen 3) at Ninnaji Temple in Kyoto, and the "Dai Nihonkoku Zu" included in the "Shugaisho" compiled by Toin Kinkata (1291-1360). It is characterized by the fact that the provinces of Yamashiro (Kyoto Prefecture) and Yamato (Nara Prefecture) are depicted in the form of a row of rice dumplings, and the seven roads are marked. However, no map of Japan appears in Gyoki's biographical historical materials such as his gravestones, the "Shoku Nihongi" (Chronicles of Japan Continued), the biography of Gyoki, and the "Nenpu (Chronological Records of Gyoki)," and no maps drawn by him during the Nara period have been handed down. Considering that Gyoki traveled around Kinai to spread his faith and build social welfare facilities (for agriculture and transportation), it is assumed that he was involved in the submission of provincial and county maps to the government on August 26, 738 (Tenpyo 10) (Shoku Nihongi). This led to the legend that he, as a high priest, drew a map of Japan, and this gave him the honor of mapmaking in later generations.

[Kaoru Inoue]

"History of Japanese Maps" by Takejiro Akiyama (1955, Kawade Shobo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

奈良時代に僧行基（668―749）が作成したと伝えられる日本国地図。京都仁和寺(にんなじ)蔵「日本図」（1305＝嘉元3）、洞院公賢(とういんきんかた)（1291―1360）撰(せん)『拾芥抄(しゅうがいしょう)』収録の「大日本国図」など数個の例品があり、山城(やましろ)（京都府）や大和(やまと)（奈良県）の諸国が団子を連ねた形で描かれ、七道の道線が記されるのが特色である。しかし、行基の伝記史料の「墓誌」、『続日本紀(しょくにほんぎ)』行基伝、『行基年譜』などに日本図はみえないし、奈良時代に彼が描いた地図は伝わっていない。行基が布教と社会事業施設（農業・交通関係）造営に畿内(きない)を回ったことから推測し、738年（天平10）8月26日国郡図を諸国から政府に提出させたこと（続日本紀）に彼が関与したと結び付け、高僧の彼が日本地図を描いたとの伝説が生まれ、後世に地図作成の栄誉を彼に付与したのであろう。

［井上　薫］

『秋山武次郎著『日本地図史』（1955・河出書房）』

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