🐎 Horse-Shaped GPS Art Around Horetsu Shrine, Yamagata 🗻
This GPS art route offers a unique way to enjoy a New Year visit by drawing the zodiac animal “Horse” while traveling around Horetsu Shrine in Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture. The course spans approximately 21 kilometers, forming a dynamic horse-shaped design across the city’s historic and cultural districts.
Horetsu Shrine is deeply associated with horses through the traditional ritual known as Dakyu, a rare Shinto ceremony in which riders on horseback scoop up balls while galloping at full speed. This ritual has been performed for centuries as part of the shrine’s annual festival, honoring the ancestors of the Mizuno clan, former lords of the Yamagata domain. Creating horse-shaped GPS art in this area naturally connects modern activity with Yamagata’s martial and equestrian heritage.
The route begins near Horetsu Shrine and winds through major landmarks such as the Yamagata Castle Ruins (Kajo Park), Mogami Yoshiaki Historical Museum, Yamagata Museum of Art, Yamagin Kenmin Hall, and the area surrounding Yamagata Station. These locations reflect the city’s evolution from a castle town into a modern regional hub, blending history, culture, and everyday urban life.
Geographically, Yamagata City lies within the Yamagata Basin, characterized by relatively flat terrain and wide, well-maintained roads. This makes the 21 km course suitable for runners, walkers, and cyclists alike, allowing participants to focus on enjoying both the route and the emerging GPS artwork.
Historically, the region prospered under the rule of powerful warlords such as Mogami Yoshiaki, and horses played a vital role in transportation, warfare, and ceremonial practices. Even today, that legacy remains visible in local festivals, shrine rituals, and place names throughout the city.
By combining a traditional New Year shrine visit with GPS art, this course offers more than exercise—it provides a moving journey through Yamagata’s past and present. Trace the powerful outline of a horse across the cityscape and start the year by connecting history, culture, and creativity in a truly memorable way.
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.
