Kyushu, Japan

[Straf]

Next implies that finished maps have gone before it. I plead not guilty to finishing a map. :p

[Voolf]

I feel like I am standing over Voolf with a red pen! "Once you have done your corrections you can go out to play."

Forgive me Master Straf, a young padawan like me learn must much yet...

I really like the way you have done the ocean, and the colours are also extremely attractive...

Thanks for comment and rep Mouse.

[Gamerprinter]

No, i started writing by hand on the compas, but it was hard for me to maintain same size and propotion for all kanji, so i deleted it and just use font with text tool.

To be accurate with Japanese thinking, east is at the top of the compass rose, and west as the bottom. North being at the top direction of the compass is a Western European emphasis. Many other cultures including Roman, Arabic and Asian, east is the top of the map, not north.

[Straf]

I thought the Arabic way was South at the top.

[Mouse]

Surely it depends on which way up you have drawn your map?

(not wishing to upset anyone, but the compass is secondary to the map, isn't it?)

[Gamerprinter]

No one is upset (that I can tell). I was just making some remarks, and casually mentioned a unique feature of a Japanese compass rose compared to the one used. They were comments, not a criticism.

[Mouse]

Aaaah I seeeee

I thought you were trying to tell Voolf that his map was the wrong way up! LOL!

My bad! Sorry Gamerprinter

[Straf]

It's actually a very interesting point. It's probably quite logical that East where the sun rises should lie in front, and therefore to the top of the map. I wonder how we, in the west, came to see the North as the top of the map.

Another interesting thing that I heard once years ago was that some aboriginal tribe, or group of tribes, don't use relative references but absolutes. Example: "Where's the salt?", "It's just by your north western elbow." - that would require knowing your orientation all of the time.

Sorry, I ran off on one there. I just find it fascinating the 'conventions' of direction because there is no real absolute, other than what convention says. Our point of reference is where the sun appears from and where it disappears to.

[Mouse]

I think you might be right about Arabic thinking, but not being one I wouldn't know. It just seems to make logical sense.

[Gamerprinter]

I'm half Japanese, so anytime I see a map of Japan or an analog, I look, if not comment as well.