This paper explores how Japanese Buddhist world maps from the fourteenth to eighteenth centuries were shaped by Buddhist cosmological concepts derived from scriptural interpretations. Focusing on geographical and cosmographical features, the study compares the representations in these maps with cosmological descriptions found in key Buddhist texts such as the Dīrgha Āgama and Abhidharmakośakārikā. Central to the analysis is the depiction of the “core area” of the Buddhist world, typically featuring Lake Anavatapta, the Snow Mountain, and the Congling (Onion Peak), which symbolized the world’s center. The paper concludes by examining four types of Japanese Buddhist world maps to analyze how the concept of this “core area” evolved across different representations, offering insights into how Japanese mapmakers interpreted and visualized Buddhist cosmology.