Having in their care many valuable hydrographic and oceanographic materials, including nautical charts, maps, and sailing directions compiled over 140 years from the early Meiji era, the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department of the Japan Coast Guard and the Japan Hydrographic Association, with a grant from the Nippon Foundation, have digitalized these materials for the purpose of making them available to the public through the "Preservation and Exhibition of Historic Maritime Materials Project. E This article introduces the project and the historical materials.

The small cape of Tenjinzaki on Tanabe Bay (Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture) was at one time exposed to the danger of being used as a site for a vacation home development. The group of local residents (Tenjinzaki National Trust) who wanted to somehow preserve the natural environment faced many obstacles, but by calling on people far and wide for donations were able to buy the nature (land), as part of the national trust movement, and accomplish what couldn't be done through administrative channels.