🐎 Horse-Shaped GPS Walk Around Historic Mikuni Shrine 🗻
Enjoy an 8km GPS art walk in Sakai City’s historic Mikuni district, where your route draws the shape of a galloping horse. At the heart of the course is Mikuni Shrine, home to a magnificent wooden sacred horse statue crafted by local sculptor Shima Sessai. Standing 1.5 meters tall and 1.8 meters long, the vividly painted figure was donated in the Meiji era by merchant Mori Yohei and inspired by foreign horses arriving at the busy Mikuni port.
The course leads you past notable landmarks such as the former Kishina residence, the former Morita Bank headquarters, the Mikuni branch of the Sakai City Office, Mikuni Shrine Station, and Shopping Mall “Iza.” The town flourished as a hub of Kitamaebune trade, leaving behind distinctive merchant culture and a charming streetscape along the mouth of the Kuzuryu River.
As you trace the route, a spirited horse takes form on your GPS screen—an ideal blend of cultural exploration and New Year’s fortune-seeking. Pair your first shrine visit with this unique and uplifting walking experience.
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.
