🐎 Horse-Shaped GPS Art Walk Near Himeji Castle 🗻
This GPS art walking course offers a unique way to enjoy New Year sightseeing while exploring the castle town of Himeji. Starting near WINS Himeji, the approximately 12-kilometer route forms the shape of a horse—the zodiac animal—on your GPS map. The distance is ideal for a relaxed yet satisfying walk, blending light exercise with cultural discovery.
WINS Himeji is an off-track betting facility operated by the Japan Racing Association (JRA), located within Himeji Racecourse. It is a rare venue where central and local horse racing coexist, providing beginner-friendly support, dining options, free Wi-Fi, shuttle bus services, and ample parking. Even on non-race days, the facility offers weekday ticket redemption services and functions as a convenient community hub.
The course loops through residential neighborhoods between Himeji Castle and WINS Himeji, offering a calm contrast to the city’s main tourist areas. Walkers pass Kuwabara Shrine, a quiet local shrine ideal for New Year prayers, as well as cultural spots such as the Himeji Municipal Jonai Library. Around Nozato Station, traces of the old castle town atmosphere remain, with traditional streetscapes reflecting everyday life in Himeji. Shops and supermarkets along the route make it easy to take breaks or refresh along the way.
Himeji has long prospered as a strategic hub along the Saigoku Kaido, with a rich history shaped by samurai culture and merchant activity. Creating a horse-shaped GPS art route here carries symbolic meaning, as the horse represents strength, progress, and good fortune. Walking this course during the New Year season allows visitors to combine history, local culture, and digital creativity.
Perfect for New Year walks, light training, or sightseeing with a purpose, this GPS art course near Himeji Castle offers a memorable way to start the year while leaving a bold horse-shaped trace on your GPS map.
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.
