The Ultimate Map Code Book for Drivers

(first draft up July 10, 2017)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-Lp-WTuMbG-yJpM-jsAdXpy1CX3rFmCqydlEYTGFptc/edit?usp=sharing

It's not even close to completion but a good chunk of Hokkaido is down, as are some major spots in Shikoku and Okinawa, and a few random locations. This is not really a necessity for people who can type in kana as they can easily use Mapion and generate Map Codes on demand, but for people who aren't as Japanese fluent, this is a good customizable, printable spreadsheet. Pick out what you need, the columns you need, hide the ones you don't, adjust font size for legibility.

For parks and other scenic areas, ignore the phone number column as more often than not, inputting phone numbers into a car's GPS will point to incorrect spots for natural locations, as usually they point to the registered number of the office that manages the park or pond or rock or waterfall rather than the location itself.

The spreadsheet specifically ignores hotels, shops, and most restaurants as hotel phone numbers can be easily found online. Some michi-no-eki(roadside stations) have been added as they almost certainly have restroom facilities and double as tourist information centres.

Do have Google Map on hand as well as onboard GPS will often lead you in what it haphazardly assumes to be the most efficient roads but it doesn't take into account road size.  You don't have to follow it's route religiously.  Having a navigator sitting in the passenger seat next to you, making sure you're not following the GPS into some backwater mountain road, will help immensely.

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