Happy Neigh Year 2026! Best wishes for the New Year of the Horse !

For the Year of the Horse in 2026, I show some of my horse photos taken in Japan. As you will see, horses appear in many facets of Japanese culture, religion, history, military, sports, and recreation.
*Click on thumbnail images to enlarge.

Contents

• Yabusame at Meiji Shrine, Tokyo
• Yabusame at Omi Jingu
• Age-uma Leaping Horse Festival
• Aoi Matsuri, Kyoto
• Kyoto Jidai Matsuri
• Taga Matsuri
• Soma Nomaoi Festival
• Yasaki Inari Shrine, Tokyo
• Sacred horse
• Ema prayer tablets
• Bato Kannon goddess
• Horse statues in Japan
• Competitive horses
• Race horses
• Work horses
• Crazy Horses (Asakusa Samba Carnival)
• For kids
• Japan’s native horses

Yabusame at Meiji Shrine, Tokyo

Yabusame or horseback archery (流鏑馬) is one famous horse activity in Japan. A mounted archer in traditional warrior costume rides a horse at full speed along a straight 200+ meter track to shoot at three targets in succession. It is a demonstration and competition by mounted archers held at certain Shinto shrines on special occasions as a religious prayer for peace and abundant harvests.

The standard yabusame horse track is usually about 210 meters long with three targets. The mounted archer must ride the horse while keeping the upper body still. Otherwise, you can never hit the target with a shakey bow and arrow no matter how good your archery is.

So the archer rides the horse with his/her bum floating slightly above the saddle. Most of his/her weight is supported by his/her feet on the stirrups absorbing the turbulent motions of the horse. Takes a few years of training to become a skilled archer and skilled rider.

Yabusame originated as a religious prayer by Emperor Kinmei (欽明天皇) in the 6th century when he was dismayed by all the internal strife. In front of a Hachiman shrine in Usa, Kyushu, he prayed for peace in the land and abundant harvests by shooting three arrows from atop a horse.

Mounted archery, especially for military purposes, has been around in Japan since almost the first introduction of horses to Japan in the 6th century. But yabusame is a religious ritual.

Her yabusame kimono (鎧直垂) is light blue. Her left side is covered with a black arm guard (射籠手) to make it easier to shoot the arrow.

Her left arm guard bears her family crest on the shoulder. Also notice the dragonfly on her left sleeve’s cuff. It’s an auspicious symbol for courage without retreating or running away since dragonflies don’t usually fly backward. The deer fur pelt on her side is for cushioning any fall from the horse.

Yabusame is practiced by two major schools called Takeda-ryu (武田流) and Ogasawara-ryu (小笠原流) founded by samurai in the 12th and 9th century respectively. The Takeda School is based in Miura, Kanagawa where they practice almost weekly. They have about 60 members. Yabusame is also held in various forms by certain shrine priests and parishioners and preservation groups.

Women used to be prohibited from horseback archery and religious Shinto ceremonies, but not anymore. Still, horseback archery in Japan is an endangered cultural pursuit with fewer practitioners.

Yabusame is much more impressive when you see it in person. The horses, the costumes, the speed, and the excitement of seeing the archer hitting the target are all so impressive.

The photos above were taken at Meiji Shrine’s annual Autumn Grand Festival (秋の大祭) on November 3, a national holiday called “Culture Day.” It’s also the late Emperor Meiji’s birthday and originally a national holiday for his birthday. Besides yabusame, the shrine also has chrysanthemum exhibits and aikido demonstrations.

Yabusame at Omi Jingu Shrine, Shiga

Another Shinto shrine where yabusame is held is Omi Jingu Shrine in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. Built in 1940, Omi Jingu (Shrine) is a major Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Tenji (or Tenchi 天智天皇) (626-672) who moved Japan’s capital from Asuka, Nara to Otsu in 667, in the area of Omi Shrine. The capital was moved back to Asuka five years later.

Yabusame horseback archery is held here on the first Sunday of June at 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm following a ceremony at 12:30 pm. For the best views, there’s paid seating available for ¥1,000 (worth the money). Cancelled in case of rain.

These archers also belong to the Takeda School (Kamakura faction). Very impressive.

The archer shoots bulb-tipped arrows called kabura-ya (鏑矢).

The archers first held a prayer ceremony in the Naihaiden Hall.

After the ceremony, they left the worship hall and walked to their horses. A short ritual was also held in a circle where a mounted archer pointed his bow and arrow to the ground and sky to pray for peace in the land.

Omi Shrine is a short walk from Omi Jingu-mae Station on the Keihan Ishiyama-Sakamoto Line.

Official site: https://oumijingu.org/pages/134

Age-uma Leaping Horse Festival, Mie

Mie Prefecture has (or had) two unique horse festivals called Age-uma (上げ馬) which literally means “leaping horse” or “horse lifting.” The one called Tado Matsuri (多度祭) is still held on May 4 and 5, while the other one called Inabe Shrine Oyashiro Matsuri Ageuma Festival (猪名部神社 大社祭・上げ馬) in early April. Both are no longer held in their complete or original form.

Age-uma was a Shinto religious prayer for abundant harvests by having horses gallop at full speed on a straight track to successfully leap over a two-meter high, dirt embankment at the end. The horse was ridden by a teenage boy dressed in ceremonial warrior costume. The more horses which made the leap successfully, the more abundant the year’s harvest would be, according to festival beliefs.

The age-uma horse leap was the festival’s main attraction. It was held for 700 years since the 14th century.

The dirt embankment at the end for the horse to leap over was about two meters high, much higher than the 1.6-meter high obstacles used in equestrian competitions. Although there were horses which could do it, many other horses failed to make the leap in which case attendants pushed and pulled the horse up the embankment onto the adjoining hill. Sometimes the horse would fall or throw off the rider.

The age-uma festival has seen a few horses break their leg from a fall. As a result, animal rights groups clamored for the abolishment of the festivals.

I saw the Inabe Shrine Oyashiro Matsuri Age-uma Festival (photos and video below) over 10 years ago.

Several teenage boys in traditional warrior costume ride the horse.

The boy gets on the horse and the handler gets the horse to gallop at full speed toward the steep embankment. The narrow horse track is lined with paid spectator seating on both sides.

The horse and rider reach the end of the track and supposed to leap over the embankment. However, often times, the horse can’t do it and the hind legs desperately feel for something to step on to get over the embankment. That’s when it gets a push from nearby attendants. It’s mid-April, and the embankment is under pretty cherry blossoms.

The festival’s excitement and suspense stem from whether the horse can make the leap or not. Watching that moment when the horse makes or don’t make the leap.

In 2011, animal rights groups cited the Age-uma festivals for animal abuse and the Mie Prefectural Board of Education instructed the festivals to improve the well-being of the horses. However, one horse in 2010, two horses in 2014, and one horse in 2023 had to be put down due to broken bones or other irrecoverable injuries from the festival.

In May 2023, the festival was held for the first time in four years after the COVID-19 outbreak. The ill-fated horse fell as it tried to leap over the embankment. It broke a leg and sadly had to be put down. The widespread outrage was expressed through social media. Tado Taisha Shrine also received over 2,000 complaints. The owners of the deceased horse received many angry complaints on postcards.

Since the horse’s owner had lovingly cared for the horse, he was also very sad over the death and was shocked at the vile public reaction. He has since quit the festival as a horse owner.

A petition with almost 21,000 signatures to abolish the Tado Age-uma Festival was submitted by a local citizens group to Mie Prefecture in September 2023.

Acknowledging the public uproar and the need for major reforms in order to continue the festival, Tado Shrine and its supporters group announced major Age-uma festival reforms in February 2024.

The biggest change was the elimination of the two-meter high embankment. The end of the horse track is now a simple slope which any horse can easily run up. No wall and no obstacle. No longer any danger for the rider to get thrown off.

The reforms took effect from the festival in May 2024. Although the festival’s element of excitement and suspense of the horse leap is gone along with the harvest fortunetelling purpose of the festival, the horses and riders are now much less prone to injury (or worse) and the festival can continue while somewhat appeasing the naysayers. (Animal rights activists still want to see the festival free of horses.)

Meanwhile, Inabe Shrine Oyashiro Matsuri Ageuma Festival in April has completely eliminated the age-uma horse leap and the yabusame horse run. Fortunately, I saw this festival before the age-uma and yabusame were eliminated.

Inabe Shrine Oyashiro Matsuri Ageuma Festival originally included this yabusame horse run near the shrine. It was not the same horse track that was used for the age-um event. This event is also no longer held as of 2026.

During the yabusame horse run (no archery), the teenage rider carries a baton which he tosses to the crowd as a souvenir.

The only part of the Inabe Shrine Oyashiro Matsuri still being held is this guided horse trot (馬曳き神事). Four teenage boys in warrior costume trot around town on a horse.

Arrow-shooting to chase away evil spirits is a ritual during the guided horse trot (馬曳き神事).

If you want to try yabusame, go to Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura amusement park in Nikko. They have wooden horses which don’t move to make it easy to shoot arrows. For both kids and adults. One of the silliest things I ever did in Japan. Park admission charged.
https://edowonderland.net/en/

Aoi Matsuri, Kyoto

Being Japan’s former Imperial capital (where the emperor lived) with major Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, Kyoto has many festivals. Kyoto’s Big Three Festivals are Aoi Matsuri held on May 15, Gion Matsuri in July, and Jidai Matsuri on October 22.

Aoi Matsuri and Jidai Matsuri are processions of people in traditional costume including many on horses numbering over 30. Aoi Matsuri has over 500 people in Heian-Period (8th–11th centuries) costumes starting from Kyoto Imperial Palace at 10:30 am and ending at Shimogamo and Kamigamo Shrines at 3:30 pm eight kilometers later. Everyone in the one kilometer-long procession wear hollyhock leaves (aoi).

On the left in orange is a Norijiri procession leader. In the middle above is a shrine maiden on horseback called Munanori Onna (騎女). She’s one of the escorts for the Saio-dai Princess (usually the emperor’s daughter) traveling to Ise Jingu Shrine to become the Chief Priestess there.

On the right is a decorated horse for the Konoetsukai-dai Imperial messenger carrying a sword decorated with gold and riding a well-decorated horse.

The Saio-dai Princess is one main figure of the procession. She represents the Imperial princess who worked at Kamo Shrine and officiated the Aoi Festival during the Heian Period. She was usually the emperor’s daughter. Today, she is selected annually from among multiple candidates for the festival. She is always a native of Kyoto, single, and in her early 20s. The Saio-dai was first incorporated in the festival in 1956.

Aoi Matsuri is almost a reenactment of the Saio princess procession from Kyoto to Ise Jingu Shrine in Mie Prefecture to take up her role as the Chief Priestess of Japan’s most important Shinto shrine.

Aoi Matsuri also features a yabusame horse run at Shimogamo Shrine. No archery.

Good horse obeyed and stopped at the end of the track. But a few other horses just galloped past without stopping. He had to step aside.

*Flash photography is prohibited to prevent spooking the horses.

More Aoi photos: https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=317
More info: https://kyoto.travel/en/travel-inspiration/aoi-matsuri-festival/

Kyoto Jidai Matsuri

Another long and colorful procession laden with horses is Kyoto Jidai Matsuri (京都時代祭) held annually on Oct. 22 by Heian Jingu Shrine in Kyoto. It’s a colorful procession of over 2,000 people dressed in traditional costume reflecting Kyoto’s eight historical periods from 794 to 1868 when Kyoto was Japan’s capital. The procession starts with the most recent era, the 19th century Meiji Period and progresses further back in time toward the back end of the procession.

Like the Aoi Matsuri, the Jidai Matsuri starts at Kyoto Imperial Palace. The procession starts at 12 noon and ends at Heian Jingu Shrine at 2:30 pm. It takes about two hours to see the entire procession. That’s how long it is. Best to bring a portable stool if you want to see the entire procession. Paid seating is also available at Kyoto Imperial Palace, but it’s not cheap.

Tomoe Gozen (平安時代婦人列：巴御前) Another character in the Jidai Matsuri is this 13th-century woman warrior named . She’s the only woman in the procession carrying weapons.

*Flash photography is prohibited to prevent spooking the oxen and horses.

More Jidai Matsuri photos: https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=776
More info: https://kyoto.travel/en/travel-inspiration/jidai-matsuri-festival/

Taga Matsuri, Shiga Prefecture

Another festival procession with many horses is Taga Matsuri (多賀まつり) held annually on April 22 by Taga Taisha Shrine in Taga, Shiga Prefecture. It has so many horses (30 to 40) that the nickname is “Horse Festival” (馬まつり). It’s the shrine’s most important festival and climax of a series of rituals and ceremonies held since January to welcome the shrine’s gods and give offerings.

Following a ceremony, the procession starts at 10:00 am. and lasts until late afternoon.

More Taga Matsuri photos: https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=36

Soma Nomaoi Festival, Fukushima

Another horse-heavy festival which must be mentioned is the Soma Nomaoi Festival (相馬野馬追) in Minami-Soma, Fukushima Prefecture. It’s a famous samurai horse festival held annually for three days on the last weekend (Sat., Sun., Mon.) in May.

The festival originated over 1,000 years ago as a training exercise for samurai in present-day Nagareyama, Chiba Prefecture. When the local samurai lord (Taira no Masakado, ancestor of the local Soma samurai clan) moved to the Soma area 700 years ago in 1323, he brought the training exercise with him.

It’s now a religious ritual held by three Shinto shrines: Soma Nakamura Shrine in Soma and Soma Ota Shrine and Soma Odaka Shrine in Minami-Soma. The festival is a prayer for prosperity and peace.

The main festival venue at Hibarigahara Field (雲雀ヶ原祭場地) is a horse racetrack and field in Minami-Soma and the festival’s original location (location map).

The second day is the main festival day with a gallant and colorful parade of 400 (!) mounted horses (Ogyoretsu) with riders in samurai armor representing descendants of local samurai families from different local regions. They parade to Hibarigahara Field in the morning. From noon, horse races are held around the racetrack (Katchu Keiba) with the riders in samurai costume and holding clan banners.

Soma Nomaoi spectator seating (reserved and non-reserved) is sold for this event from February 1 at 10:00 am at Minami-Soma City Hall, Ticket Pia (P code: 655-701), and convenience stores. More ticket info in Japanese here.

You’ll often see horse designs and statues in Minami-Soma and Soma, very proud of their samurai and equine heritage and history.

English: https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1740/
Official site (in Japanese only): https://soma-nomaoi.com/

At Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples

Shinto shrines are commonly associated with horses. Since Shinto gods are known to use horses for transportation, Shinto shrines commonly have a statue of a sacred horse for the gods.

Some Shinto shrines have a stronger connection to horses for some reason such as the shrine priest being a former racehorse trainer.

In the case of Yasaki Inari Shrine (矢先稲荷神社) in Asakusa, Tokyo, it’s noted for 100 horse paintings on the ceiling of the worship hall. Like all other Inari shrines in Japan, this shrine worships the god of rich harvests (business prosperity). The shrine is near Kappabashi kitchen town in Asakusa. Short walk from Asakusa Station or Tawaramachi Station (Ginza Line).

Thanks to this horse connection, the shrine always sees more New Year’s worshippers than usual during New Year’s in the Year of the Horse in 2026. The shrine was spotlighted by TV news programs.

Yasaki Inari Shrine’s Haiden worship hall has 100 square paintings of horses on the ceiling. They depict Japan’s horseback history from mythological times to modern times (日本馬乗史).

The illustrated horse history starts near the shrine altar and gradually depicts more modern times toward the rear of the hall (above the entrance). The horse paintings show a wide variety of gods, famous samurai, emperors, and other historical figures.

The 100 horse paintings depict horses in Japanese mythology, samurai legends and famous episodes, and the connection between humans and horses in Japan. The pictures cover Japan’s history from ancient times to modern times. Very impressive.

The ceiling horse paintings were once lost during World War II bombings, but were repainted by Asakusa-based artist Ebine Shundo (海老根駿堂) in 1964 after the worship hall was reconstructed in 1960. It took five years to paint the 100 horse pictures.

The shrine and Honden hall with ceiling horse pictures are open to the public. First pray in front of the worship hall, throw some change into the offertory box, then take off your shoes and put them in the provided plastic bag which you carry with you. Bare feet is not allowed, so you need to have socks or stockings. Then enter the worship hall and admire the horse artwork.

If you can read Japanese, there is a thumbnail index of all the horse pictures with titles telling us who is in the picture or what it’s about. I recommend going to the shrine office to buy the horse picture booklet which explains all the horse pictures.

The shrine was founded by Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1642 to pray for national peace and security and to nurture samurai martial arts especially archery. The shrine was originally on the far end of the long, Asakusa Sanjusangendo Hall used for archery training and competitions. The shrine was right beyond the target end of the hall. In 1698, Asakusa Sanjusangendo and the shrine were destroyed by the great Chokugaku Fire that ravaged much of the city of Edo.
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EEJni7211A4baZ8p6

Sacred horse (神馬)

It’s common to see a horse statue at Shinto shrines. Horses were regarded as a means of transportation for the gods descending to Earth, so shrines provided a sacred horse (usually white) called shin-me (神馬). However, since horses are difficult and expensive to maintain, most shrines just have a horse statue instead.

The zig-zag streamers on this horse statue indicates the spot where the god supposed to descend or sit.

Ema prayer tablets

Ema (絵馬), literally meaning “picture horse,” are small wooden prayer tablets sold by Shinto shrines. It has a religious picture on one side, usually the shrine’s god, the shrine hall, or the year’s Oriental zodiac animal. The other side is blank where you can write your wishes, prayers, or thanks for past blessings. It could be a prayer for good health, victory in sports, passing a school entrance exam, finding a marriage partner, business prosperity, etc. Then you hang your ema on the shrine’s ema wall along with many others.

In ancient times, horses were viewed as sacred animals since they were much stronger than humans. Gods were known to ride horses. Live horses were presented as offerings to the gods. During the Kofun Period (300–538) of large burial mounds, small clay or wooden figurines of horses were included in the buried offerings.

During the Nara Period (8th century) to Heian Period (794–1185), the horse became a shamanistic object of worship. As an offering to the gods at shrines, horse figurines evolved into horse pictures on wooden tablets. This was called ema. Offering ema wooden tablets with a horse picture became a common practice by the late Nara Period.

The size, shape, and picture design of ema tablets also evolved and changed through the centuries. Besides horse pictures, ema came to have pictures of gods, the shrine, samurai, and others. Today, we can collect them as souvenirs.

Bato Kannon goddess

Japanese Buddhism includes a Kannon goddess called Bato Kannon (馬頭観音) having a horse’s head or riding a horse. Bato Kannon is regarded as the guardian deity for horses. Farmers relying on horses for farming, prayed to Bato kannon for the good health of their horses. A few temples in Chiba Prefecture are dedicated to Bato Kannon where there are statues of Kannon riding a horse (photo above).

Meanwhile, in Higashi-Matsuyama, Saitama Prefecture, a Buddhist temple called Myoanji (妙安寺 上岡馬頭観音) worships Kamioka Bato Kannon. Samurai warriors and thoroughbred racehorse breeders and owners have been coming to this temple to pray for the good health and safety of their horses.

On February 19, the temple holds its most important festival of the year. It’s when the Ema prayer tablet fair (絵馬市) is held when they sell hand-painted ema prayer tablets.

Also, in the Year of the Horse on the 19th of every month, the temple’s Ennichi festival day, the temple’s hidden Buddha is open for public viewing. In other years, the Buddha is kept behind closed doors.
Website (in Japanese): https://kamiokabato.com/

Horse statues in Japan

Horses were introduced to Japan from the Asian mainland during the Kofun Period (4th to 6th centuries) and became widespread by the 5th to 6th centuries. Even back then, equestrian culture was quite developed as you can see on the well-decorated, saddled haniwa horse in the photo above left.

It’s a replica of a haniwa horse at Saginuma Castle Park (鷺沼城跡公園) in Narashino, Chiba. This castle site is a small kofun burial mound where haniwa sculptures dating from the latter 6th century were found.

Other photo above is a Terracotta horse figurine (National Important Cultural Property) found in Saiku Palace site in Meiwa, Mie Prefecture. From the Heian Period (9th–10th centuries). Exhibited at the Saiku History Museum in Meiwa (斎宮歴史博物館).
https://www.bunka.pref.mie.lg.jp/saiku/p0048200001.htm

It’s also common to see statues of mounted samurai especially at castles. On the left above is one of a 14th century samurai named Kusunoki Masashige (楠木正成) on the fringe of the Imperial Palace (former Edo Castle) in Tokyo (near the tour bus parking lot). Masashige was a samurai commander regarded as the ideal, loyal samurai for the emperor. He fought against and helped to overthrow the Kamakura samurai government to restore national rule to the emperor by 1333.

The Masashige statue was completed in July 1900 and donated by the Sumitomo family to mark the 200th anniversary of them opening the Besshi copper mine in Niihama, Ehime Prefecture.

The statue on the right above is at Yamagata Castle (Kajo Park 山形城・霞城公園) in Yamagata Prefecture. This is a samurai named Mogami Yoshiaki (最上義光) who was the daimyo lord of Yamagata in the late 16th century and early 17th century. The statue depicts him leading the battle against Naoe Kanetsugu from a rival samurai clan in 1600.

Left photo: In Gujo-Hachiman, Gifu Prefecture, there’s this statue of samurai Yamanouchi Kazutoyo and his loyal and loving wife Chiyo gifting him a horse she bought with her own money in the 16th century. It’s one of the most famous samurai horse stories in Japan. Gujo-Hachiman Castle is in the background.

Chiyo was supposedly the daughter of the Gujo-Hachiman Castle’s first lord, Endo Morikazu. Kazutoyo later became the lord of Kochi Castle.

More photos of Gujo-Hachiman Castle (autumn foliage): https://photoguide.jp/log/2021/11/gujo-hachiman-autumn/

Right photo: Kochi Castle in Shikoku also has this statue of Chiyo and the horse she gave to husband Kazutoyo. The statues face the castle tower.

Horse statue at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo is a memorial for military horses which died while on duty or in battle. The shrine also has monuments for dogs and carrier pigeons died while on military duty. (戦没馬慰霊像)

Competitive horses

Always exciting to watch equestrian events, but it’s not common in Japan and we hardly see it on the news. This was the women’s equestrian event for the Pentathlon World Cup Final in Tokyo in June 2019. It was also a test event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Even if you get thrown off your horse, get back on and try again. Pentathlon World Cup Final in Tokyo in June 2019.

Race horses

Horse racing is a major pastime in Japan. The Tokyo/Kanto area (including Saitama and Chiba) has quite a few horse racetracks and I visited all of them just for entertainment. I’m not a gambler. Admission fee is very cheap. Good place to test a new camera.

Thoroughbreds are beautiful to watch. Many are bred and raised in Hokkaido. This is Funabashi Race Course in Chiba. 船橋競馬場

Nakayama Race Course in Funabashi, Chiba has a huge paddock where the horses are paraded before the race. 中山競馬場

Sometimes there’s an unhappy, bucking horse at the paddock. The handler always remains calm and in control.

Tokyo City Keiba (Oi Racecourse) in Shinagawa, Tokyo is a large and entertaining racecourse.

Horse with rabbit ears. I took this photo in January 2023 which was the Year of the Rabbit.

Work horses

Imperial horse-drawn carriage carrying U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy back to Tokyo Station after she presented her credentials to the emperor at the Imperial Palace on Nov. 19, 2013. I happened to be there, so I was one of the hundreds who lined the street to watch.

Caroline was well received by the Japanese public. Sadly, her daughter Tatiana just died at age 35.

Ambassadors to Japan have the option to ride in the Imperial horse-drawn carriage to present their credentials to the emperor. Most all opt for the horse-drawn carriage.

The only photo I have of a horse in Hokkaido. Farm workhorse (dosanko) depicted in snow for the Sapporo Snow Festival.

Next Sapporo Snow Festival will be held on Feb. 4 to 11, 2026.
https://www.snowfes.com/

Crazy Horses (Asakusa Samba Carnival)

Asakusa Samba Carnival in 2016 (when Brazil was hosting the Olympics/Paralympics) had a samba troupe from the now defunct Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku, Tokyo. They had a “Crazy Horse” theme complete with giant Pegasus and robot horse floats complimented by the restaurant’s burlesque entertainers in horse costumes. Robot Restaurant closed in March 2020. Never got to see it.

For kids

Horseback rides are offered in places such as Kusasenri near Mt. Aso, an active caldera volcano in Kumamoto Prefecture. Aso Volcano Museum (阿蘇火山博物館) is also nearby. It’s a large, grassy area outside the active volcano. Mt. Aso and the immediate area is very impressive. 阿蘇草千里乗馬
https://kumamoto.guide/spots/detail/11961

Japan has place names which include the word “horse.” For example, Takadanobaba (高田馬場) and Nerima (練馬) in Tokyo, Arima (有馬) in Hyogo Prefecture, and Soma (相馬) in Fukushima.

But the most famous one would be “Gunma” (群馬), the name of one of the 47 prefectures. Located northwest of Tokyo, Gunma means “herd of horses.” Gunma was a horse breeding and trading center operated by immigrants from Korea until the 6th century. Horses became vital to Japan’s military/samurai and Imperial Court.

Today, Gunma does not have that many horses. Japan’s main horse-breeding center is Hokkaido where thoroughbred racehorses are bred and raised.

Even so, Gunma’s official mascot is Gunma-chan, a horse mascot, displayed here as plush toys in a herd inside a souvenir shop in Ikaho Onsen, Gunma.

These cute kids from Okegawa Tanpopo Nursery School (桶川たんぽぽ保育園) in Saitama Prefecture perform a lively dance called Arama Odori (荒馬踊り) native to Imabetsu, Aomori Prefecture.

Arama means “untamed horse.” The dance originated with untamed horses used to chase away insect pests from rice crops (虫送り).

The dance became part of the famous Nebuta Matsuri held in summer. Adults, especially married couples or partners, perform the dance in pairs. The male dances as a horse, while his wife/partner controls the reins connected to his mock-up horse. They hop around and shout, “Rassera, rassera!” The dance can strengthen the couple’s bond.

The dancers are accompanied by infectious music including taiko drums and flutes similar to Nebuta Matsuri festival music. There are also haneto festival dancers and maybe a small Nebuta float.

Arama Odori in Imabetsu is an Intangible Cultural Property. It has since spread to other parts of Japan, and it’s not unusual to see it performed by kids as well.

Japan’s native horses

Japan has eight horse breeds considered to be native to Japan since they were largely not cross-bred with imported breeds since the 19th century.

The native breeds are Taishu uma (対州馬) on Tsushima island in Nagasaki Prefecture, Noma uma (野間馬) in Shikoku, Dosanko in Hokkaido (道産子), Kiso uma (木曽馬) in Nagano, Misaki uma (岬馬) in Miyazaki Prefecture, Miyako uma (宮古馬) on Miyako island in Okinawa, Tokara uma (トカラ馬) in Tokara Islands in Okinawa, and Yonaguni uma (与那国馬) on Yonaguni island in Okinawa.

Japan’s native horse breeds tend to have a stocky build with short legs, rotund body, longer back, and thick mane and tail. They have a strong physique to endure the winter cold and a highly developed digestive system to survive on just wild grass. They also have strong bones, hooves, and hind legs to make them good pack horses with little problem walking uphill.

These native breeds are believed to be descendants of Mongolian horses from the Mongolian Plateau introduced to Japan via Korea during the Kofun Period (300–538). The horses were used for domestic and military purposes.

The horses were transported by ship from Korea across the Tsushima Strait first to Tsushima island serving as a relay station where they were bred before being taken further across the Genkai Sea to land in Fukuoka in Kyushu. It was a turbulent ocean journey.

The Mongolian horses imported via Tsushima island eventually branched off into different breeds in different parts of Japan as horses reached all over the country. The branching off started with the Taishu uma and Noma uma. Further branching resulted in horse groups moving northward (Kiso uma and Dosanko) or southward (Misaki, Tokara, and Yonaguni uma).

While Fukuoka became Japan’s import base for horses where the most ancient horse remains and relics have been found, other places in Japan served as major breeding grounds such as in Yamanashi, Aomori, and Gunma Prefectures where horse pastures were considered to be ideal.

Most of Japan’s native horses today are small or medium in size. Except for the dosanko breed in Hokkaido, all native breeds are endangered species. Quite a few native horse breeds in Japan have already become extinct mostly due to their lack of practical use.

Thanks for reading. Although Japan has a lot more horse-related sites and history, I’ll stop here. Wishing you a great Year of the Horse with good health, good luck, and good work.