Following the multilingual support (Japanese, Hiragana, English) added to the historical map service “Rekichizu ,” this article introduces how to implement a map with language switching using MapLibre GL JS.
What is Rekichizu?# Rekichizu is a web service that lets you browse maps of the late Edo period (around 1800-1840) in a modern design. Multilingual support was added in November 2025, and the following three styles are provided.
Language Style URL Japanese https://mierune.github.io/rekichizu-style/styles/street/style.jsonHiragana https://mierune.github.io/rekichizu-style/styles/street/style_hira.jsonEnglish https://mierune.github.io/rekichizu-style/styles/street/style_en.json
Simple HTML Version# Here is an example implemented with plain HTML + JavaScript without any framework. The display language is switched based on a GET parameter (?lang=en).
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L b n 3 p s t g n ( t S a t [ r r e g t g E n l k g : n i t o c ; g 3 n n n n m n l R g ? a r t 5 l ( o l g w ( t n L l A ( r F L ; S t e g . s g e l c r ; " " " e i e ( L e n e L . i ) r e ) i ' a g a a l ' ( r a [ e > . c 0 - h r i ; o . e . ) S t l g g a 6 b A ( n l t ) n n l c ' o n l n c o ; s t ; d u d d d g r g e ( a F l n 8 r { l ' { d a e g g ( l p m g a t o m e : n a a a i u i { a ' n r . g 1 e l a o n ( { ) ] ' i o U ) n = m b r # d t t t t n t r l g o M ] 2 g ( c w g { ) . c p r g " m o i c d : a a a h e h c a m a , ] l ' t . ' } r ; l k s l { ] w m a x f a d - - - u . u h n : U p , . . i l , , e a ' t ( ) i a p - ; l d # l l l b g b P g r ( N l v o t n , a ) ; d p l s c ; e a a a . i . a ' ' l { a a e c l u g t ; t l i i } ( 0 n n n i t i r ) j ( v n ' a a ' r - e h i b z 1 e g g g o h o a ; a ) i g , t n , n b ' = b r i 0 0 = = = / u / m ' ; 東 g - i g ; t , d r e n 0 e " " " r b r s ; 京 a b b o ) u n = e e - g v 0 j j e e . e ( 駅 t t t n ; r ' > v - g : h ; a a n k i k w i n n ) l ) i g l " - " i o i i o ' . ; ) . s c l @ b - } > H > c / c n n ) d ; f w = e @ 4 o 日 i E h r h d デ C . a o i > - 4 . r 5 本 r n i e i o フ o f t r t w . 7 d 0 語 a g z k z w ォ n o a E c { i 7 . e p < " l u i u . ル t r s a h d . 1 r x / > i - c - l ト r E e c L t 1 - ) b ひ s s h s o は o a t h a h d b ; u ら h t i t c 日 l c . ( n , d i o t が < y z y a 本 ( h l b g i s x } t な / l u l t 語 ) ( a t ( i s t ; o < b e - e i , b n n b n t n / u / s / o t g t i m } > b t s t s n ' n = n t m a u t t y t . t = > . i a p t o y l y s o = = d a p l t n l e l e p > = { a l l i o > e / e a - t - i b n s s s r r { c a s b r > / t / c i u s c r e s y s h g r e a e - t l t ) h r t l - g r e r ; t e . e g l e s e ' n l = l . e / e ) t a 1 . c t s t ; L n . j s / t / a g 0 s s s r s n ) " " " t e t g ) > > y e y ) ; < r l t l ; / e e e s l . s _ c = j t e r " s y n i s o l . p t n e j t y ' _ s > l , h o e i n s r ' h a e . e j t s " o n ' , Usage# Serve the HTML file via a web server (it will not work as a local file) Access examples:index.html - Japanese (default)index.html?lang=en - Englishindex.html?lang=ja-Hira - Hiragana Key Points# Getting the GET parameter
c c o o n n s s t t p l a a r n a g m s = = p a n r e a w m s U . R g L e S t e ( a ' r l c a h n P g a ' r ) a ; m s ( w i ' n e d n o ' w , . l ' o j c a a - t H i i o r n a . ' s , e a o r r c h n ) u ; l l Updating the URL (without page navigation)
c u w o r i n l n s . d t s o e w u a . r r h l c i h s = P t a o n r r e a y w m . s p U . u R s s L e h ( t S w ( t i ' a n l t d a e o n ( w g { . ' } l , , o c ' a e ' t n , i ' o ) u n ; r ) l ; ) ; A d d t o h i s t o r y Handling browser back/forward
w } i ) n ; d w R . e a - d r d e E a v d e n l t a L n i g s u t a e g n e e r f ( r ' o p m o p U s R t L a t a e n ' d , u p d a = t > e { t h e m a p Notes# Layer Re-configuration on Style Switch# When map.setStyle() is called, all added sources and layers are reset. Therefore, you need to listen for the style.load event and re-configure them.
m m } a a ) p p s ; . I . e s m o t e p n u t o c p S r e L t t ( a y a ' y l n s e e t t r ( : y s S l ( T R e ) Y e . ; L - l E c o S o a [ n d l f ' a i , n g g u ] r ) e ; = l > a y { e r s a f t e r s t y l e l o a d s Data Usage# Rekichizu tile data and styles are available under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 . For commercial use, please contact the Rekichizu operator (MIERUNE, Inc.).
Summary# Rekichizu provides three styles: Japanese, Hiragana, and English Specify the language via GET parameter (?lang=en) Dynamically switch styles with map.setStyle() After style change, re-configure layers on the style.load event By combining historical maps with multilingual support, you can create applications that allow people from overseas to enjoy Japan’s historical place names and routes.
Reference Links#