This chapter analyses the ways, in which intersections between historical
narratives and cartographic design shaped the spatial imaginary of Japanese
audiences. It follows early modern, modern, and contemporary visualizations
of two narratives of imperial movement in Japan: the eastward march of the
legendary first Emperor Jinmu and the Korean campaign of the equally legendary
Empress Jingu. The study cases show how cartography was enlisted for a range
of purposes, from confident depictions of exemplary movements to dynamic
trajectories that accommodated multiple points of view. The study thus provides
an example of the diagnostic value of historical motion maps as a litmus test for
the agendas to which historical and geographical knowledge were employed by
different ideological positions.