Man Proposes By Writing it Out with GPS Tracking

12 Feb 2015

Man Created GPS Drawing To Spell Out Marriage… by GeoBeats

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, comes a story about GPS tracking and, well, love. One man’s wedding proposal goes high-tech when he uses GPS tracking to propose to his girlfriend.

Global positioning systems (GPS) are being used for everything from monitoring the movements and behavior of wild animals to tracking down thieves with GPS trackers hidden in storage containers. It is also being used for more modern uses, where individuals get a little more creative.

One good example of this is when a man in Japan decided to use GPS tracking and mapping technology for one of the most technological marriage proposals yet.

During his journey through Japan, the artist traveled over 4,349 miles in six months. The majority of his trip was done on foot in order to go the route he intended for the proposal, but some of it was done by bicycle, ferry and car. He went from Hokkaido Island on to Hyodo Cliff, and ended at Kyushu Island.

When asked about his idea to propose in this way, Takahashi said: “I wanted to write the world’s biggest proposal, and I found GPS drawing was the way to do it.”

It didn’t hurt that Takahashi was not only an artist by trade, but was also up-to-date on tracking technology at that time. In 2008, people were only beginning to discover how much you could do with GPS technology, and Takahashi knew exactly what he wanted to do with it.

Yasushi Takahashi started his journey in 2008 when he quit his job and decided to go back to Japan to discover his roots. However, he wasn’t just looking to learn more about his family and culture, but also to track his trip in a way where the completed map would spell out “Marry Me?” as a way to propose to his girlfriend. Not only did it include these words, but it also finished with a heart that had an arrow going through it.

This was something that happened nearly 6 years ago, but recently it re-surfaced thanks to social media. Suddenly, Takahashi’s romantic gesture can be seen all over Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, and major news outlets are covering it. Not only can you see the GPS map he made during his journey, but there is a video as well.

Now that the story of one of the romantic proposal has resurfaced, a documentary will be made about how walking leads to amazing things, as opposed to conventional transportation. Part of the documentary will feature Takahashi’s journey and the many extraordinary things he discovered while walking, including finishing the proposal. It will be called the “Walkumentary Series” and is an online project that is being produced by an agency in Amsterdam.

As for Takhashi, his proposal went over well and his girlfriend said yes. Now that people know it is possible, there might soon be more GPS and high-tech proposals on the horizon.

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About George Karonis

George Karonis is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of LiveViewGPS Inc., a company he established in 2008 with the vision of making real-time GPS tracking more reliable, affordable, and accessible for businesses of all sizes. Over the past two decades, he has built a reputation as an innovator in GPS tracking, fleet management, asset monitoring, and Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PTToC) communications. Under George's leadership, LiveViewGPS has grown into a nationally recognized provider of GPS tracking solutions, serving businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, law enforcement organizations, and public works departments throughout the United States. The company's technology helps organizations improve operational efficiency, protect valuable assets, increase driver safety, and reduce operating costs through real-time location intelligence. Before founding LiveViewGPS, George developed a background in security, surveillance, and emerging location technologies. His passion for innovation and practical problem solving has driven the development of products that combine dependable hardware with easy-to-use cloud software, giving customers actionable information when it matters most. In 2018, George expanded into nationwide Push-to-Talk over Cellular communications by launching PeakPTT, providing businesses with rugged, instant communication solutions that operate over LTE and Wi-Fi networks. His focus has remained the same throughout his career: delivering dependable technology backed by exceptional customer service and long-term customer relationships. George regularly writes about GPS tracking, fleet management, asset protection, business technology, and communication systems. Through this blog, he shares industry insights, practical advice, and emerging trends to help organizations make informed decisions about tracking technology and connected operations.