🐎 Horse-Shaped GPS Art Around Kokura Racecourse 🗻
Start your New Year with a creative and scenic adventure on this 18km GPS art course around Kokura Racecourse in Kokuraminami Ward, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Kokura Racecourse is a unique JRA (Japan Racing Association) venue boasting a dedicated steeplechase course and exclusive races for Kyushu-bred horses. Beyond its racing heritage, the expansive grounds are open for walking and exploration, making it a perfect landmark from which to begin a horse-shaped GPS art journey.
From the racecourse, your course leads into the verdant surroundings of The University of Kitakyushu Kitagata Campus, where quiet streets and tree-lined paths create a pleasant setting for GPS art walking or jogging. This section offers a relaxed contrast to the energetic atmosphere of raceday crowds, allowing you to enjoy your surroundings at your own pace.
Next, the course guides you toward Izumi Public Bath (Kōfuku Onsen), a charming local hot spring where you can soothe tired feet and warm up during your walk. Further along, you’ll pass Toishiyamateneki Shrine, a serene mountain shrine with traditional spiritual significance—a meaningful spot to pause for New Year’s prayer and reflection.
Continuing through everyday urban landscapes, the course takes you past the Kokuraminami Lifelong Education Center, blending community life with your creative GPS art journey. In the latter part of the course, you’ll pass several train stations including Keibajo-Mae Station, Moritsune Station, and Kitagata Station, illustrating how suburban and urban spaces intertwine in Kitakyushu.
Kitakyushu itself is a port city with a rich industrial heritage, connected historically to maritime trade and modern transportation networks. The gentle terrain and well-connected city streets make this 18km course accessible to walkers, runners, and families alike, offering a dynamic picture of local life and scenery.
Tracing the shape of a horse—a symbol of strength, motion, and good fortune—across this diverse terrain is a memorable way to celebrate the Year of the Horse. Whether you’re combining shrine visits, exploring local baths, or simply enjoying a fresh perspective on New Year’s walking courses, this GPS art course provides a meaningful and fun experience in northern Kyushu.
TOURISTS SPOT
- Kokura Racecourse
- The University of Kitakyushu Kitagata Campus
- Izumi Public Bath
- Toishiyamateneki Shrine
- Kokuraminami Lifelong Education Center
- Keibajo-Mae Station
- Moritsune Station
- Kitagata Station
REFFERENCE
- GPS ART Courses in Minamikokura Ward, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka pref.
- GPS ART Courses in FukuokaCity, Fukuoka pref.
- How to make GPS Art
DETAIL (EXTERNAL LINK)
A PIONEER IN GPS ART.
1st work was authorized by Guinness World Records as “the Largest GPS Drawing”.
He is the only Japanese person to be featured in a Google documentary as an innovator. He is fascinated by the idea of drawing with GPS and has published more than 2,500 works.
