🐦 Through the Rose City and Historic Castle Grounds 🐦
Fukuyama City in Hiroshima Prefecture, located in the heart of the Bingo region, flourished as a prominent samurai castle town founded in 1619 by Mizuno Katsunari, a cousin of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Renowned nationwide as the “City of Roses,” Fukuyama beautifully blends samurai heritage with modern industrial vitality along the scenic Ashida River. This 16km GPS art course invites you to sketch a magnificent bird, taking you on an engaging journey through iconic parks, riverfront trails, and historic castle ruins.
The long-distance loop begins at the Fukuyama Museum Of Literature just north of the castle. Passing near the historic Fukuyama Hachiman-gu Shrine, Bingo Gokoku Shrine, and the Shibuya Museum of Art, the path heads northeast before turning south along Route 313. You will run past youme Town Fukuyama, the modern Fukuyama Culture Hall, and the vibrant floral displays at Bara Park, Midorimachi Park, and Coco Rose Fukuyama. Turning west toward the broad Ashida River, the route traces the waterfront north. After crossing beneath the Sanyo Shinkansen and Fukuen train lines, you will turn east toward Fukuyama Castle Park, home to the Fukuyama Art Museum and the impressive Fukuyama Castle Museum. The final stretch runs east along the train tracks past Fukuyama Station to complete the loop.
This flat and accessible 16km trail offers an unforgettable cultural run through Fukuyama. When the digital silhouette is complete on your map, you will feel a deep appreciation for this storied castle town.
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.
