Back in 2008, Yasushi Takahashi aka “Yassan” devised a unique way to propose to his girlfriend Netsuke by creating the largest marriage proposal message ever, using GPS technology. Combining artistry and innovation, he embarked on a remarkable journey to make his proposal unforgettable.

The concept behind Yassan’s proposal revolved around GPS art, a technique that involves designing images or messages on a map by physically travelling along plotted routes.

Crafting his design required an immense amount of preparation, as he had to align his path with roads, trails and geographical features to form the intended shapes.

Once the design was ready, Yassan quit his job, somewhat perplexing his girlfriend, and dedicated himself entirely to his secret project. Over six months, he travelled more than 7,000km across Japan, mostly on foot and by bicycle, carrying a GPS tracker to record his movements. He slept in his car. Every step of his journey was a piece of the puzzle, contributing to the giant artwork he envisioned.

The final result was stunning – a colossal "MARRY ME" proposal, with a heart symbol visible on mapping software, writ large and stretching across the map of Japan. This heartfelt gesture was not just a creative marriage proposal but also an artistic and technological achievement. His girlfriend accepted the proposal … although somewhat frustratingly for Yassan, she had to be told what it meant, as she was not familiar with the English phrase.

Yassan’s GPS art earned him a Guinness World Record for the largest GPS drawing, and the story gained widespread attention for its originality and scale. Watch the 2019 video recap used promotionally by Google HERE.

Yassan’s record-breaking "MARRY ME" was actually his first ever GPS drawing. He has since gone on to create many more large scale GPS drawings, as you can see on his website HERE.

Yassan’s ongoing mission? This from his website:

“My main purpose in creating GPS art is to provide people with new perspectives and to create new entertainment and cultural value in urban spaces. GPS art is a new art form that allows us to view urban landscapes, culture and history from a new perspective, and I aim to expand its potential worldwide.”

As for the grand MARRY ME gesture, there’s an amusing thread in the r/todayilearned subreddit that includes a few reactions worth noting:

u/lazernanes says: “I’ve never been a girlfriend, but I think most girlfriends would prefer to have their boyfriend around for six months and a normal marriage proposal.”

u/AcridTest reckons: “She’s screwed. Every argument and he’s going to be like ‘I walked six months just to propose and now you’re being a total bitch.’”

… and this from u/binger5 with a response from u/crushedmoose:

“Aww that's sweet...I wish it was in Japanese.”

“結婚して下さい - yeah goodluck with that”
__________________________________

References

gpsdrawing.info
guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2024/6/inside-viral-marriage-proposal-that-saw-japanese-artist-create-largest-gps-drawin
venturebeat.com/offbeat/meet-the-japanese-artist-who-made-the-worlds-largest-gps-drawing-for-his-marriage-proposal
reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/150w8nx/til_yasushi_takahashi_left_behind_his_girlfriend/

Images

1. Yassan's Proposal: MARRY ME. Credit: GPS Drawing via Google Earth
2. Video: How an artist used Google Earth to craft a record-setting wedding proposal, Google, 2019
3. Sleeping in the car
4. Yassan and Netsuke. Phew!
5. Some GPS Drawings from Yassan's website. Credit: gpsdrawing.info
6. Nassan and Netsuke with their Guiness World Record
7. Google Earth logo