🐦 The Castle of Success and Artistic Streets: A 5km Ptarmigan Art in Hamamatsu 🐦
Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture is famously known for Hamamatsu Castle, nicknamed the “Castle of Success” (Shusse-jo). It earned this title because Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Edo Shogunate, spent 17 formative years here before unifying Japan. This 5km GPS art course invites you to sketch a Ptarmigan (Raicho)—the prefectural bird of Shizuoka—across the historic and artistic streets surrounding the castle.
The journey begins in Hamamatsu Castle Park, where ancient stone walls meet modern relaxation spots like the Starbucks Coffee Hamamatsu Castle Park. As you trace the silhouette of the bird, you will encounter the city’s cultural soul at the Hamamatsu Municipal Museum of Art and the Hirano Museum. The route is a spiritual pilgrimage through Tokugawa-related sites, including Motoshirochō Tōshōgū Shrine (the former site of the castle’s main keep), the vibrant Gosha Shrine – Suwa Shrine, and the protective Akiba Shrine. Geographically, the route spans the transition from the castle heights to the lively town below.
The Ptarmigan is a sacred alpine bird, a relic of the Ice Age that thrives in the high peaks of the Southern Alps bordering northern Shizuoka. Drawing this “Messenger of the Gods” in the city where Ieyasu launched his grand ambition creates a poetic connection between the majesty of nature and historical triumph. The terrain is walker-friendly, allowing you to immerse yourself in the castle town’s atmosphere. By the time the digital Ptarmigan appears on your smartphone, you will have completed a symbolic “trek of success,” bridging the spiritual mountains with the heart of Hamamatsu. Lace up your shoes and let the Raicho guide your steps to glory!
TOURISTS SPOT
- Hamamatsu Castle
- Hamamatsu Castle Park
- Starbucks Coffee – Hamamatsu Castle Park
- Hamamatsu Municipal Museum of Art
- Hirano Museum
- Motoshirochō Tōshōgū Shrine
- Gosha Shrine – Suwa Shrine
- Akiba Shrine
- Enshūbyōin Station
- Daiichidōri Station
- Hamamatsu City Hall / Chuo Ward Office
REFFERENCE
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.
