The world's best alternative subway maps: Tokyo

Treehugger.com has created an interesting slide show entitled the World's Best Alternative Subway Maps and these included two slides showing various perspectives on the Tokyo subway system map – which easily turns into the world’s densest and most complex subway map that can easily confuse newcomers to the city. In the version done by Korean design studio Zero per Zero (which can also be viewed and purchased from their website), a more abstract approach was taken and the map is meant to be easier to use by tourists and newcomers to find their way around the city. In addition, the design is also meant to be a work of art as the center of the map is left somewhat open to show how subway lines circumvent the ground beneath the Imperial Palace with the subway lines running in a circle around the complex to evoke the national flag of Japan.

On the other hand, the Vollmer Design map (which is also available for purchase on their website) attempts to make the Tokyo subway map a little neater and simpler to understand. It also incorporates important geographic information like islands and parks in relation to each other and attempts to do away with information that confuses newcomers – such as referring to Tokyo Station as Tokyo which often leads some newcomers to believe the map is a regional train map rather than a city subway map.

Thus, if you are planning a visit to Tokyo and wish to not be lost in translation when it comes to using the city subway system, purchasing either of these maps before you go may be a very good idea.