Japanese map symbol for wasteland

Short scattered upright ticks.

Also known as: Arechi mark, Rough ground mark

In Japanese:: 荒地
In Japanese (Latin):: arechi

Maps & navigationStandard profile

Meanings

Denotes rough uncultivated ground on a Japanese topographic map.

Officially standardisedVerified fact
Marks rough uncultivated ground on a GSI topographic sheet.
Contexts: Maps
Officially standardisedVerified fact
Is defined by what the ground is not — neither cultivated, nor wooded, nor built on — so it works as the residual land-cover class in the same way the government office symbol works among buildings.
Contexts: Maps

Visual description

Short upright strokes scattered at irregular intervals, sparser than the dots and lines used for any cultivated cover.

Symmetry: none
Orientation: upright

Confidence

IdentityModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

Map symbols used on Japanese topographic maps
Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) · retrieved 2026-08-23
Japan's national mapping agency's own published legend. Cited for the form and meaning of a symbol on Japanese topographic maps; the historical origin of individual symbols is cited separately where claimed.

Last reviewed 2026-08-26

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Japanese topographic map symbols

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Meanings

Denotes rough uncultivated ground on a Japanese topographic map.

Officially standardisedVerified fact

Marks rough uncultivated ground on a GSI topographic sheet.

Contexts: Maps

Officially standardisedVerified fact

Is defined by what the ground is not — neither cultivated, nor wooded, nor built on — so it works as the residual land-cover class in the same way the government office symbol works among buildings.

Contexts: Maps

Confidence

IdentityModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

Map symbols used on Japanese topographic maps
Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) · retrieved 2026-08-23
Japan's national mapping agency's own published legend. Cited for the form and meaning of a symbol on Japanese topographic maps; the historical origin of individual symbols is cited separately where claimed.

Last reviewed 2026-08-26