🐦 Through Tama Hills and Sacred Gates: A 7km Ptarmigan Art in Hino 🐦
Hino City, situated on the northern edge of the Tama Hills in western Tokyo, is famous as the historic homeland of the Shinsengumi samurai. This 7km GPS art course invites you to sketch a Ptarmigan (Raicho), starting from the expansive Tama Zoological Park. Known for its pioneering open-enclosure design, the zoo provides a magnificent green backdrop for a journey that weaves through a historic temple town and undulating hills.
The trek begins near Tama-Dobutsukoen Station and the family-friendly Keio Rail Land. As you trace the silhouette of the alpine bird, you will encounter the unique geography of the area, passing through the Takahatadai Housing Complex and reaching the scenic heights of Kashimadai Park. The route offers cultural stops, bridging the Hino City Local History Museum with the majestic Takahata Fudoson, one of the three great Fudo temples in the Kanto region. You will also pass the striking Traffic Safety Praying Hall and the bustling shopping streets near Takahatafudō Station.
The Ptarmigan is a sacred alpine bird and a relic of the Ice Age. Notably, Tama Zoo is a key facility in Japan’s national conservation and breeding program for the endangered Japanese Ptarmigan, making this artistic tribute highly meaningful. The rolling terrain of the Tama Hills beautifully mimics the rugged ridges of the bird’s mountain home, offering a brisk physical challenge. By the time the digital Ptarmigan appears on your screen, you will have experienced the perfect harmony of Hino’s samurai legacy and its verdant slopes.
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.
