🐦 Through Japan’s Oldest Hot Springs and Literary Streets: A 9km Ptarmigan Loop 🐦
Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, nestled at the foot of the Dogo mountains, is celebrated as one of Japan’s oldest hot spring resorts, boasting over 3,000 years of history recorded in ancient chronicles like the Nihon Shoki. Renowned as the setting for Natsume Soseki’s classic novel Botchan and deeply connected to haiku poet Masaoka Shiki, the district seamlessly blends historic bathhouses with medieval samurai heritage and vibrant modern art. This 9km GPS art course invites you to experience a storied landscape, weaving through charming spa avenues to sketch a Ptarmigan on your digital map.
The journey immerses you in the quintessential atmosphere of a historic hot spring town, passing the iconic Dogo Onsen Main Building, the elegant Dōgo Onsen Annex Asuka-no-Yu, and Dogo Onsen Tsubaki-no-Yu. Taking in views from Dogo Onsen Sky Walkway & Footbath and the peaceful Yu Shrine, the route introduces artistic gems such as the Dogo Giyaman Glass Museum, Seki Art Museum, and Matsuyama-togetsuan Museum of Culture and History. Further along, you will explore the lush grounds of the medieval Yuzuki Castle Ruins (Yuzukijo Museum) and the insightful Shiki Museum.
Featuring gentle, engaging terrain across cultural alleys, this 9km route captures Dogo’s timeless elegance. As the digital silhouette completes on your map, you are left with a memorable impression of this historic spa haven.
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.
