Sorry, I didn't want to insult anybody at all and I apologize if I did. But it is a matter of the pot calling the kettle black, really. You are telling me I'm being self-centered and wanting to let somebody else do all the work, just for a little whim of mine.
This is not the case. I'm just asking for help on this, knowing that this forum isn't the exact right place to go. But to lift a corner of the veil: for the past 7 years I've been working on a reconstruction of how the world looked like during the time of the Hundred Years War. The ultimate aim of the project I keep to myself. I've already done a great part of Europe and Africa (the parts of Africa from that time we have documentation of). I scoured the internet and libraries in search for documentation and asked the help of some historiographers to get insight in the historical demo- and topographics of the western world in this tumultuous period in human history.
Now I wanted to make a start with the east, Asia, but faced a big language barrier and didn't know how to start. I really put a lot of time and energy in this project. It has become more than a hobby over the years and it really isn't ment to make me feel a swell guy, I assure you.
I admit the way I asked for help may have seen a little thoughtless. Thank you for the suggestion. I did want to take a look at existing topography of Japan and try to compare the characters, but I fear I only can translate half the map that way...
In the second part of this Christmas holidays I have got the time to try and translate the map with this method and will be overlaying the translated words and phrases over the map. Can I come back to this forum with the map and try to find help in translating the rest of the map?
Hmm, and maybe someone is willing to translate the phrases at the bottom and left edge of the map (the white edge I mean, so outside the actual map). I feel these give me a hint on what the map exactly is about.