Delivered on July 29, 2025
Maps are so useful! How to use location information the Zenrin way by Zenrin Datacom
Yohei Kinjo, Head of Service Planning Department, Business Headquarters
Affiliation and position information is as of the time of distribution
The Joetsu Anniversary Year Location Information Utilization Seminar @ Joetsu Myoko was held on June 26, 2024, and was sponsored by LBMA Japan. The seminar had the theme of "The Future of the Region Connected by Data." The seminar delved deep into the potential of using location information data to revitalize the region.
We will introduce the content of each seminar in several parts.
＝＝＝＝
Zenrin Group's Role and Zenrin Datacom's Uniqueness
Zenrin Group plays the role of a "map maker" that collects detailed map data based on surveys of each and every house. Zenrin Datacom, on the other hand, combines data collected by Zenrin with data from various third parties to develop map drawing engines, route search engines for navigation, and people flow data analysis engines, and offers them as various solutions and service packages.
Since joining the company in 2011, Kinjo has been involved in planning and sales of location information solutions and people flow analysis for corporations for a long time. At the time, the use of smartphone location information was still in its infancy, and there were difficult times such as privacy issues, but he says he is happy that location information is now widely accepted in society and is being used as a convenient tool.
In recent years, the Zenrin Group as a whole has been promoting the construction of a next-generation map distribution infrastructure, and is working to create an infrastructure that can be used for next-generation technologies such as autonomous driving, mobility data, IoT, and drones. In this context, Kinjo is planning new services with the keywords "map information and AI".
1. AI transforms map production: Design Map AI
One of Zenrin Datacom's new initiatives is "Design Map AI." It aims to make it easy to create maps as you want, just by giving instructions to a chat AI.
Zenrin's map data is finely categorized into more than 4,000 layers and contains a huge amount of feature data. Until now, maps have been designed by specialized designers, but by utilizing Design Map AI, even vague instructions such as "Make a map with a black and white hoodie-like image" can be interpreted by the AI, and maps with a variety of designs can be generated.
On the demo site, you can see how the color of buildings can be changed, only the names of specific buildings can be displayed, and simple and easy-to-understand guide maps can be generated. This is expected to make it easier for people without specialized map knowledge to create event maps and maps for pamphlets.
The design of the background map is also important when visualizing people flow data. For example, in visualizing people flow data around Shinjuku Station with the theme of the nighttime economy, it is said that the understanding of the data can be improved by highlighting only the necessary entertainment facilities on a map designed to match the atmosphere of the night.
2. New use of people flow data and maps: discovering hidden tourism resources
The second initiative is a "shrine comparison map" that combines people flow data. This is an attempt to unearth "hidden tourism resources" by scoring people flow data.
There are approximately 210,000 shrines and temples throughout Japan, and by extracting all of their location information from Zenrin's map data and combining it with people flow data, it is possible to visualize the unexpected flow of people not only at famous shrines that attract many people, but also at places like hidden small shrines.
In particular, we are targeting foreign tourists visiting Japan, focusing on cases where "city shrines" that are popular on social media or that Japanese people do not notice are found attractive. We believe that proposing new sightseeing routes that tourists can stop by using the time between famous tourist spots may also lead to an increase in tourism spending. This initiative has already been released as a demo site and has attracted attention, including being featured in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
3. Maps that connect the past and the future: Visualization of changes over time
The third is the "Time Series Change Map." Zenrin's next-generation map distribution platform comprehensively incorporates past map information. Data from 1995 onwards has been digitised and databased, and by comparing it with past maps, you can check the changes in the city in detail.
For example, in a case where the number of public bathhouses was tracked on a map, it was visually shown that the number of public bathhouses, which was 2,769 in 2005, had decreased to 734 in 2020 due to the spread of smartphones and the COVID-19 pandemic. By overlaying past facility data and building information, it can be used to help with decision-making such as regional development selection, urban development strategies and best mix plans.
Utilising vehicle probe data and providing detailed map content
The Zenrin Group also handles vehicle probe data, and uses data from approximately 4.2 million Honda vehicles to provide vehicle-specific analysis such as traffic analysis, congestion relief and detour selection during construction restrictions. Unlike smartphone location information, it is characterized by the ability to grasp detailed traffic volume and average speed on a road-by-road basis.
Zenrin also provides a wealth of map content, including detailed information on each building (such as age, number of floors, tenant information, and entrance/exit information) and accurate arrival point information. This data is provided as an API and can be used as a component in system development.
Summary
Zenrin DataCom is working to create new value, such as design map AI, unearthing hidden tourist resources, and visualizing changes over time, by combining its long-cultivated map production know-how with the latest AI technology and diverse people flow data. Many of these efforts are still in the planning stage, but the company is exploring collaboration with local governments and private companies to implement them in society.
Some of the demo sites introduced here are available for free on the Zenrin DataCom website, allowing users to experience the new possibilities of maps and data.