Japan 1956 Shaded Relief Map

1956 marked Japan's return to the international stage. The country had signed a peace treaty with the United States and most Allied powers in 1951, but the Soviet Union held out, using its UN Security Council veto to block Japanese membership for years. That stalemate broke in October 1956, when Japan and the USSR signed a joint declaration restoring diplomatic relations — clearing the way for Japan to join the United Nations that December, eleven years after the end of World War II.

We georeferenced the original 1956 survey and applied modern digital elevation data to add true shaded relief to Japan's mountainous archipelago. The shading is printed flat on the paper — not raised or textured — so it frames and hangs like any fine art print.

Available with or without our signature cloud overlay for a more atmospheric effect, and in your choice of black frame, walnut frame, or unframed.

Note on legibility: text on the original map is small and can be difficult to read given the map's age. In areas where the relief shading is darkest, the underlying labels are not legible. We recommend the largest available size for the best detail.

FREE SHIPPING on orders to the contiguous US over $49 with UPS ground or USPS to PO Boxes.

Unframed prints - Printed to order and shipped within 2-3 business days
Framed prints - Custom framed and will ship in 3-4 weeks

Full refund on returns of unframed paper prints within 30 days of purchase. Prints must be returned in NEW condition without creases or damage. Please email us at [email protected] for instructions.

If prints are shipped back to us and are not in new condition, we offer a store credit or can return them to you. 

We do NOT ACCEPT returns or exchanges on framed prints or canvas wraps because they are made to order.

Click HERE for more information on shipping and returns.

Made in the USA

We consider our maps to be works of art, so we print and frame them accordingly.

Using award-winning printers with gallery quality fine art paper and inks, our maps will exceed expectations and last a lifetime.

• Archival Paper and Inks
• 100% Cotton, OBA-Free, and Acid-Free
• Heavyweight 21.5 mil
• Certified to last 100 years

Read customer reviews HERE attesting to the quality of our prints.

We use real Walnut for our frames, unlike the lesser quality veneer you will typically find elsewhere. With beautiful hardwood grain, each is handmade to order at a professional frame shop.

• 7/8 inch face and 1 1/2 inch depth
• Acrylite glazing (more clear than glass)
• Acid-free backing paper
• Hanging wire installed