The Hotaka Mountain Range, which begins at Kamikochi, is located within the Chubu Mountain National Park. It is a place of rare natural beauty in Japan, designated as a National Special Place of Scenic Beauty and a National Special Natural Monument.
This GPS art was created by climbing four peaks exceeding 3,000 meters in elevation including Mount Oku-hotaka from Kamikochi. I began my climb via the route from Karasawa, circumnavigated from Mount Kita-Hotaka to Mount Oku-hotaka, and then descended via the route from Mount Oku-hotaka toward Mount Mae-Hotaka through Dakesawa, depicting the monkeys that inhabit Karasawa and other areas of the Hotaka Mountains.
Kamikochi serves as a starting point for mountain climbing. In his book *Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japanese Alps*, published in 1896 (Meiji 29), the British missionary Weston introduced Kamikochi, the Hotaka Range, and Mt. Yari-gatake which he had climbed himself to the world. As a result, mountaineering in Japan became widely recognized as a leisure activity, and Kamikochi also gained fame. Kamikochi has become a famous mountain scenic spot visited by both Japanese and foreign visitors alike.
Staying in mountain huts over the course of two nights and three days, we created a GPS art piece covering a total distance of approximately 30 km and a vertical elevation gain of about 3,000 m.
Reference URL:https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/learn/about/
The Monkey of Karasawa
GPS art created in Hodaka
Drawing GPS art on mountain trails is difficult because there are limited routes, but the feeling of accomplishment when you finish is all the more impressive. Precisely because it’s a mountain, I try to create interesting GPS art while staying on the trails and footpaths. Since I began making my GPS art, I’ve been rediscovering the greatness of the Nazca people.
