🐦 Through Historic Chestnut Groves and Floral Gardens: A 13km Ptarmigan Loop 🐦
Obuse Town, nestled in northern Nagano Prefecture along the eastern bank of the Chikuma River, is a historic hamlet famed for its chestnut orchards, rich arts heritage, and vibrant floral culture. During the Edo period, the town flourished as a commercial trading hub, famously attracting legendary ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai. Today, Obuse is celebrated nationwide for its scenic open gardens, traditional earthen-walled storehouses, and thriving fruit cultivation. This 13km GPS art course invites you to experience a storied landscape, weaving through Obuse’s charming downtown grid and surrounding countryside to sketch a Ptarmigan on your digital map.
The journey immerses you in a serene, idyllic environment, passing the sprawling vineyards of the artisanal Obuse Winery and the colorful blossoms at Floral Garden Obuse. Tracing peaceful paths connecting local transit hubs like Obuse Station and Tsusumi Station, you will encounter cultural landmarks including the Obuse Museum丨Nakajima Chinami Museum, dedicated to modern Japanese painting, and the historic Obuse Folk Heritage Museum. The route also guides you past local artisan spaces such as the Goh Workshop, where ceramic craft traditions endure.
Featuring gentle, accessible terrain against the backdrop of Shinshu’s rolling mountains, this 13km route captures Obuse’s timeless elegance. As the digital silhouette completes on your map, you are left with a memorable impression of this artistic mountain haven.
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.
