Horse around JRA Wins Korakuen, Tokyo 19km

🐎 Horse-Shaped GPS Art Around WINS Korakuen 🗻

This 19km GPS art course offers a unique way to celebrate the New Year by tracing the shape of a horse—one of the zodiac animals—through the heart of Tokyo. The journey begins at WINS Korakuen, one of Japan’s largest off-track betting facilities operated by the Japan Racing Association (JRA). Located in the iconic yellow building within Tokyo Dome City, WINS Korakuen represents the modern face of Japanese horse-racing culture, accessible even without visiting a racetrack.

From there, the course leads you into the refined landscape of Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, one of Tokyo’s oldest traditional gardens dating back to the Edo period. Its ponds, bridges, and seasonal scenery provide a tranquil contrast to the surrounding metropolis. The course then continues to Tokyo Daijingu Shrine, famous for matchmaking and New Year prayers, followed by Ushi-Tenjin Kitano Shrine, dedicated to academic success.

As you walk on, you’ll pass Denzuin Temple, closely associated with the Tokugawa family, and Genkaku-ji Temple, popularly known for the “Konnyaku Enma,” reflecting the strong Buddhist heritage of Bunkyo Ward. Nearby, the Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum offers insight into the sophisticated water systems that supported Edo’s growth into a major city.

In the latter half of the course, the GPS art expands into the Kanda and Ochanomizu areas. Highlights include Kanda Myojin Shrine, a center of commerce and local faith; Yushima Seido, a Confucian temple that symbolizes scholarly tradition; and the striking Holy Resurrection Cathedral (Nikolai Cathedral), which adds a touch of European architectural elegance to the skyline. The course also passes the National Showa Memorial Museum, preserving memories of Japan’s modern history.

Bunkyo and Chiyoda wards are known for their gently undulating terrain of plateaus and valleys, which naturally shapes the elegant outline of a horse on your GPS map. Combining history, spirituality, and urban scenery, this course offers a meaningful and creative way to enjoy a New Year walk in central Tokyo—where every step contributes to a work of art.