🐦 Through the City of Opera and Manga: An 11km Ptarmigan Art in Takarazuka 🐦
Takarazuka City in Hyogo Prefecture, framed by the Rokko Mountains and the Mukogawa River, is world-famous as the home of the Takarazuka Revue, a grand all-female theater company founded in the Taisho era. It is also where Osamu Tezuka, the “God of Manga,” spent his youth. This 11km GPS art course invites you to sketch a Ptarmigan (Raicho), starting near the beautiful Takarazuka Flower Road from Takarazuka Station.
The journey begins along the artistic promenade, passing the iconic Takarazuka Grand Theater and the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum. Crossing the river, the route loops near Takarazuka-Minamiguchi and Sakasegawa Stations, guiding you through the green lawns of Takarazuka Suehiro Chūō Park and past the modern Takarazuka City Hall. The trail also connects you to local history at the ancient Iwashizu Shrine, a serene sanctuary guarding the city.
The Ptarmigan is a sacred alpine bird and an Ice Age relic that thrives on snowy peaks. Drawing this mountain icon across the elegant, theatrical streets of Takarazuka creates a playful contrast that defines GPS art. The 11km loop is mostly flat and filled with pleasant riverside breezes. By the time the digital bird takes flight on your screen, you will have discovered the artistic glamour and natural charm of Takarazuka.
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.
