The worldview of ancient people, the mysterious patterns drawn by nature and science, the vivid reality of the climate crisis, and the secrets of the universe gradually being revealed.
An exciting story unfolding through various maps!

A map is more than just a simple means of navigation that depicts geographical features; it is also a collection of information that contains an infinite number of stories in a concise format.
Through various production methods and forms, maps can contain countless pieces of information, secrets, and stories.
The author of this book selects 40 of these remarkable maps and presents a fascinating and comprehensive narrative spanning the past and present, humanity and nature, science and the universe.
From village maps dating back 9,000 years, to world maps as seen from around the world, to vibrant maps crafted by nature and science, to cutting-edge maps detailing the universe, this book is packed with information that will spark curiosity, spark lively discussion, and deepen our understanding of the interconnectedness of our world.
These maps, which vividly illustrate the footsteps of humanity, the secrets of the universe, and even the realities of a changing climate, are a stimulant that prompts a shift in mindset and an invitation to see the world from a new perspective.

Humans have been making maps for tens of thousands of years, but today we are entering a new era of mapmaking.
Now everyone with a smartphone is part of that change.
We live our lives constantly checking our own location and at the same time providing location information.
Maps are now everywhere.
It organizes information about what we do and who we are, and serves as a pulse gauge for our connected society.

--- p.5~6

Çatalhöyük is a difficult problem to solve.
Although over 9,000 years have passed, it is not just a pile of dust and stones, but raises many questions.
This is especially curious because it appears that there was no social hierarchy.
There are no residences of the powerful, no mansions that represent wealth, and no traces of kings and queens.
The houses are all pretty much the same.
This was a communal society where labor and food were shared.
There is no clear evidence of hierarchy.

--- p.13

People of various ethnic groups dressed in traditional attire are lined up in pairs, as if showing off.
A total of 40 types are listed, some with brief descriptions.
For example, it is written about Brazilian men and women:
'They don't live in houses, they prefer to live in caves.
They eat human flesh.' And he added this explanation:
'When a woman is about to give birth, the man experiences abdominal pain.
Women do not experience the pain of childbirth.'
--- p.58

Unlike common maps, which are generally widely shared and familiar to everyone, the stick chart of the Marshall Islands is not public domain.
Each map is unique and deeply personal, and some of the meanings contained in a map are known only to its creator.
Because it is the result of hundreds of years of accumulated experience over many generations.
This map summarizes a specific part of the vast ocean and serves as a reminder of the state of the ocean.
This is something that must be studied and memorized diligently before embarking on a dangerous voyage.

--- p.65

There is another story about the island located at the top left.
This is the Kingdom of 'Merina', which is now called Madagascar.
Merina was an independent kingdom from 1540 to 1897.
Queen Ranavalona III, the last monarch of the Merina Kingdom, ascended to the throne at the age of 22.
After the French invasion, she was driven to Réunion and later to Algeria, where she died at her home in 1917 at the age of 55.
Thus ended the dynasty of Madagascar, and the Merina Kingdom sank into memory.

--- p.81

But Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 suggests another perspective.
One consequence of absorption and integration or territorial expansion into neighboring countries is a lack of awareness of the conquests that have taken place, and a consequently a strong sense of privilege.
This leads to a firm conviction that the lands adjacent to the country are not legitimate states but merely appendages of Russia.
For Russians who support Putin, the attempt to occupy Ukraine is not an invasion, but more like reclaiming lost land.

--- p.90

A project is underway to plant trees in a wide belt stretching about 6,500 kilometers (just under seven times the length of the United Kingdom) from Senegal to Djibouti to curb desertification and protect farmland.
The map shown above is quite simple, but considering the number of creatures that will benefit from it, it is arguably the most important map in this book.
On this map, the thick green line is the 'Green Wall' and the wide yellow band is the Sahel region.
The Sahel is a region between the Sahara Desert and the more humid lands to the south.
This map also shows how the green barrier was distributed among the first participating countries.
--- p.108

Some may see a vision of Asia's future in this map.
It does seem that way.
But if you look again, you can see that something else is going on.
The polar regions, long overlooked, are emerging as regions of economic potential.
The most remote places on Earth are within our range.
It's an uncomfortable moment.
The whole world is being stripped bare, and there is nothing left to be whole.

--- p.121

This Chinese railway map shows a kind of revolution, a realignment of world power.
Some countries move forward straight ahead, while others look back.
China is racing at high speed.
Many countries recognize this and are trying to catch up.
But countries like the UK and the US have yet to realise that they are on a slow track.

--- p.133