🐦 Through Castle Gates and Ocean Breezes: A 10km Ptarmigan Art in Odawara 🐦
Odawara City in Kanagawa Prefecture, backed by the Hakone Mountains and facing Sagami Bay, is a historic destination that thrived as the invincible castle town of the Hojo clan and a major post station along the Tokaido Highway. This 10km GPS art course invites you to sketch a Ptarmigan (Raicho), tracing a scenic loop through historic streets and breezy coastlines starting from Odawara Station.
The journey weaves through Odawara Castle Park, showcasing its grand reconstructed keep, and the historic Odawara Castle Hachimanyama Fort ruins. As you trace the bird’s silhouette, you will stroll along the picturesque Saikachikoji Street, pass the Odawara Museum of Literature, and reach the crashing waves of Miyukinohama Beach. The route also guides you through a paradise of local flavors, including the famous Yanagiya Bakery, and legendary seafood icons like Kagosei, Yamajo Kamaboko, and Hayase Dry Fish. For a perfect finish, you can relax at the retro Nakajima Bathhouse.
The Ptarmigan is a sacred alpine bird and an Ice Age relic that thrives on Japan’s highest snowy peaks. Drawing this mountain icon along the warm, coastal shores of Odawara creates a playful and poetic contrast. This flat, 10km loop is ideal for a cultural and culinary run. By the time the digital bird appears on your screen, you will have experienced Odawara’s timeless samurai legacy and maritime 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.
