🐦 From Historic Samurai Hills to Rice Fields: A 9km Ptarmigan in Nagaoka 🐦
Nagaoka City in Niigata Prefecture, nestled along Japan’s longest river, the Shinano, is famous for its heavy winter snows and its world-class summer fireworks display. It also boasts a proud history as a prosperous castle town under the Makino clan. This 9km GPS art course invites you to sketch a Ptarmigan, starting from Yukyuzan Park—affectionately called “O-yama” (The Mountain) by locals—and looping through the peaceful residential neighborhoods and scenic rice fields between the park and National Route 17.
The cultural trek begins inside the park near the castle-shaped Nagaoka City Museum of Local History, the Yukyuzan Small Zoo, and the vibrant Nagaoka Fireworks World. Winding through the sacred groves of Aoshi Shrine, which honors the samurai lords, the trail opens into the eastern plains. The route seamlessly weaves past Aoshinosato Nagakura Park and the modern campus of Naga Oka University, blending calm residential alleys with refreshing rural landscapes.
While the Ptarmigan typically evokes high alpine peaks, tracing its silhouette across Nagaoka’s historic foothills and fertile valleys offers a playful contrast. This flat 9km loop is perfect for a casual run. When the digital bird appears on your map, you will have connected Nagaoka’s timeless heritage with every step.
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.
