🐦 Through Komoro’s Castle Ruins and Post Town: A 5km Ptarmigan Art Trail 🐦
Komoro City in Nagano Prefecture is a fascinating destination nestled at the foot of Mount Asama. This historic town developed around Komoro Castle, uniquely built lower than its surrounding castle town. During the Edo period, it also thrived as a major post station along the Hokkoku Highway. This 5km GPS art course invites you to sketch a Ptarmigan (Raicho), starting from Komoro Zoo, the oldest zoo in Nagano Prefecture, located within the castle ruins.
The journey begins near the Chokokan museum before guiding you past the serene Kaiou-In Temple and toward the grand Ōtemon Gate of Komoro Castle, an important cultural property. As you trace the bird’s silhouette into the historic town, you will encounter the Komoro Honjin Omoya, a principal inn for feudal lords, and Sukyu Shoten/Yamabuki Miso, a venerable miso brewery operating since the 17th century.
The Ptarmigan is an Ice Age relic and the official prefectural bird of Nagano. Drawing this alpine icon across the streets of Komoro—while gazing at the Asama range—creates a poetic connection to Shinshu’s nature. The 5km trail features gentle slopes, making it perfect for a leisurely historical tour. By the time the digital Ptarmigan appears on your screen, you will have experienced Komoro’s timeless samurai legacy and merchant charm.
RESTAURANTS
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.
