Tokuyama Wan and Approaches

Detailed coastal chart covering a portion of the Seto Inland Sea.

This informative nautical chart covering a portion of Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture was published by the U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office in December, 1944. Coastal cities along the industrialized Inland (or Seto) Sea were a primary target for Allied carrier-based bombers, as well as the highly effective submarines that preyed on the local shipping lanes.

Marked Restricted, the image notes depth soundings, navigational beacons, and coastal features. Topography is depicted in contour. Railways, temples, and other land-based facilities are also identified. Of particular interest are a number of fuel depots, steel plate factories, and oil tanks. A rubberstamp in the upper right indicates the map “contains information affecting the national defense of the United States” and should be destroyed when superseded or rescinded.