Zenrin
Encyclopedia
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
publisher. Founded in 1948, the company is known as a maker of residential maps and software used in personal computers and Automotive navigation system
Automotive navigation system
An automotive navigation system is a satellite navigation system designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit's map database. Using the road database, the unit can give directions to other locations...
s. It is a leading Japanese company in the production of mapping software.
Head Office
Zenrin's head office is in the Zenrin-Asahi Building at 1-1-1, Muromachi, Kokura Kita Ward, Kitakyushu. The building stands on the spot where noted Edo periodEdo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
mapmaker Inō Tadataka
Ino Tadataka
Inō Tadataka was a Japanese surveyor and cartographer. He is known for completing the first map of Japan created using modern surveying techniques.-Early life:...
began his mapping of Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, in the midst of a modern shopping and cultural center called Riverwalk Kitakyushu
Riverwalk Kitakyushu
is a prestigious shopping centre near the Murasaki river and Kokura Castle in Kokura Kita ward, Kitakyushu, Japan. It was opened as part of the Kitakyushu Renaissance policy on April 19, 2003 and includes theatres, restaurants, a multiplex cinema, NHK studios, the head offices of Zenrin Co...
. The company also has a development center (Techno Center) at Nakabaru Shinmachi 3-1, Tobata Ward, Kitakyushu.
In the U.S., Zenrin provides navigation software and expertise to Nissan North America and other automobile and navigation systems hardware manufacturers. Zenrin is also continuing to explore collaborative efforts with other electronic and auto manufacturers. Field research crews collect data throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and survey businesses along America’s Interstate's to integrate into their navigation software and databases. Businesses, organizations, and travelers nationwide utilize this data in a variety of applications and settings.
International Offices
Zenrin USA, Inc., located between San Francisco and Silicon Valley at 851 Traeger Avenue, Suite 210, San Bruno, CA, 94066 USA.Zenrin Europe GmbH, located in Münsterstr. 306, 40470 Düsseldorf, Germany
President
Shinobu Osako (大迫忍; 1945-2005) was president from 1980 until his 2001 retirement. Inheriting the company from his father, he built it into a major company in mapping and vehicle-mounted navigation software. He was also the first president of the StarFlyerStarFlyer
is a Japanese airline headquartered on the grounds of Kitakyushu Airport in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture. It is modeled after JetBlue Airways as a "low-cost, high-quality" carrier aimed at business and leisure travelers. The airline began operations on March 16, 2006 and is one...
airline.