🐎 Horse GPS Art Walk around Suwa Shrine, Nagasaki 🗻
Suwa Shrine is the guardian shrine of Nagasaki City and a central symbol of local faith. It is widely known for the Nagasaki Kunchi festival, as well as for its strong historical connection to horses. Every autumn, a traditional yabusame (horseback archery) ritual is performed here, reflecting the shrine’s deep ties to equestrian culture. Within the grounds stands a bronze sacred horse statue, believed to have been created by renowned sculptor Seibo Kitamura, making the shrine especially meaningful during the Year of the Horse.
This 16km GPS art course circles the area around Suwa Shrine, forming the shape of a horse on your digital map. While the shrine’s approach features many stone steps, the surrounding streets are relatively flat and suitable for walking. The course passes Tamazono Inari Shrine, Matsunomori Tenmangu Shrine, and several historic temples such as Shuntoku-ji, Kogen-ji, and Kofuku-ji. It also connects important cultural sites including the Santo Domingo Church Museum and the Nagasaki Museum of History & Culture, offering insight into the city’s unique blend of Japanese and international heritage.
Nagasaki’s geography is defined by mountains, valleys, and the sea, creating a complex urban landscape. Although the city is famous for its slopes, the central districts retain many level paths along rivers and old trade course. These features make it possible to enjoy GPS art while sightseeing at a comfortable pace.
Walking through the city, participants experience layers of history—from temples and shrines to remnants of early European influence—while gradually completing the horse-shaped GPS artwork. The course concludes near iconic landmarks such as Nagasaki City Hall and Megane Bridge, one of the city’s most beloved sights.
Combining a New Year shrine visit with creative exploration, this GPS art course offers a memorable way to celebrate the Year of the Horse in Nagasaki—where faith, history, and urban scenery come together in one meaningful journey.
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.
