Satellite map coverage of Japan

Does anyone know where you can get good satellite imagery of Japan? I had a look at google maps, but the imagery doesn't appear very detailed, e.g.
http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?ll=41.522797,140.902941&spn=0.005759,0.0...

Yahoo maps seems to be even less detailed. I don't mind if the map is in Japanese, just would like a bit more detail than Google maps.

Thanks

Dave

Dave,

Some parts of the world just aren't as detailed as others. Typically, the countryside is much less detailed than the cities. But why do you need details anyway? Someone might be able to help.

I was looking for the satellite imagery first for planning for places to visit on my next trip to Japan.

It also would be useful when trying to find the places once in Japan.

Daum maps for Korea has detailed satellite imagery of all parts of South Korea (that I've checked), I was hoping there might be a Japanese internet portal with something similar for Japan.

Dave,

Thank you for your response.

Well, I wonder if you and I are viewing the same things. On the link you initially posted, I can see all the names of the buildings (Happy Drug, Maeda Store, Tsutaya etc.) and all the names of the roads (Hamanasu Line etc.) in Japanese letters. The outline of the buildings are blurred, but they are enough to show me what is where. I also can tell the difference between buildings, trees and fields. I wonder what kind of problems you are having with the specific map you've shown.

Note that not all roads in Japan have names, and names of indivisuals are usually not open to the public.

You might try Zenrin:

http://www.zenrin.co.jp/english/index.html

Spot Images provides the satellite imaging.

http://www.spot.com/web/SICORP/403-sicorp-spot-images.php

It just may be that the imaging to date has not been sufficiently clear to publish on Google Maps or Google Earth. For instance, there are some places in Okinawa that are still at 3 meter resolution because images just haven't had a clear, cloud-free (less than 10%) photo.

You may also want to try looking for places in English, such as Oma, Aomori, Japan. Then you will get place names and many other features in English/Romaji as well as in kanji.

Hi Uco

Thanks for taking the time to help me with this. The problem I have with google maps of this area is that while you can see the big buildings, and tell what some buildings are from their labels, it is not high enough resolution for me to see much detail.

For example, if you scroll the map right a bit, just to the left of the label '大川目' is an area that could be a small park, or it could be a temple, or maybe just the grounds of a large house. I really can't tell what it is with the resolution of google maps.

Also, I found for Korea that the Korean maps websites had much more info (more buildings and businesses labelled) than Google did. I wondered if the case might be similar for Japan, but I don't know of any Japanese maps websites to check.

Thanks

Dave

Thanks for the suggestions geogeek1, I will have a look at those sites.

Dave

This website (in Japanese) gives a bit more detail than a lot of maps. However, does not have satellite imagery.

http://watchizu.gsi.go.jp/watchizu.html?meshcode=62402700

This is about it as far as I can tell for the area you referenced. Everything else is either the same or worse than Google Maps.

Dave,

I suppose that if I were you I would just assume that the spot is part of 大間町墓園 which is the cemetary. I would contact the cemetary for more details (as I couldn't find a detailed official website). Otherwise, I would assume it is private property, in other words some place that is "none of our business."

But for example, 渋谷駅 area on Google map is very detailed and clearly shown. The image is more clear than King's Road, London. You can tell the difference between taxis and ordinary vehicles. You can also see slides and stools in my neighborhood park in Yokohama.

I think it really depends on the specific area, and rural areas tend to be more blurred. But for example, I can clearly see the outline of tennis courts that is located deep in the mountains of Tochigi.