🐦 Through Historic Machiya Merchant Houses and Ancient Temple Gardens 🐦
Naramachi in Nara City, built upon the historic grounds of the World Heritage site Gangoji Temple, is a preserved merchant district celebrated for its traditional lattice-windowed townhouses (machiya). Winding through narrow alleys adorned with classic tiled roofs and red fabric charms (migawari-zaru), the quarter seamlessly harmonizes Nara’s ancient imperial roots with Edo-period merchant traditions. This 11km GPS art course invites you to experience a storied landscape, tracing quiet historical lanes down toward the southern Kyobate district to sketch a Ptarmigan on your digital map.
The journey immerses you in timeless tranquility, passing the faithfully reconstructed Naramachi Koshi-no-Ie (Lattice House) and the charmingly nostalgic wooden architecture of Kyōbate Station. Exploring the scenic neighborhood, you will encounter the elegant water gardens at The Garden of the Former Daijyo-in Temple, alongside revered historic temples including Fukuchi-in Temple, Jurin-in Temple, and Renjō-ji Temple. The route guides you past sacred sanctuaries such as Naramachi Tenjinsha Shrine and Yuga Shrine, as well as the ancient Gogokujinja-mae Ikenaka Kofun Tomb, before looping through the heartwarming alleys of Naramachi.
Featuring flat, picturesque streets steeped in ancient history and neighborhood charm, this 11km route offers an unforgettable historic stroll. As the digital silhouette completes on your map, you are left with a memorable impression of Nara’s preserved merchant heritage.
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.
