Riding/showing in Japan

[faraway46]

Hi!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I’ve returned bc this forum is the “know all” of information.
I will be traveling to Japan from Sept 15th till Oct 12th to see the World Rugby Cup with my non horsey but ever so patient husband, and was wondering if maybe I could ride/rent a horse and show in some show/class while I’m there. I tried Google but it is virtually impossible since none of them are in english, so no clue there.
I read about Nasu Training Barn, which seems to be the most successful in jumping (but then again, I can barely read anything so what do I know?) but have no way to understand how to contact them.
Anyone on this board familiar with the Showjumping scene in Japan? Any yearly show schedule in english would come in handy…
Oh! And by the way, the one question we all ask when traveling to an unfamiliar place: any recommendations on tack stores? Thou shalt never come home from overseas without the local tack store reconnaissance!
All info will be much appreciated by me, not so much by my husband…:ambivalence:

TIA!

[JustTheTicket]

No suggestions, but I’d bet you’d have more luck just taking a lesson or finding somewhere to trail ride. I think it would be hard (regardless of the country) to find someone willing to let a stranger randomly enter their horse in a show.

[2DogsFarm]

While I agree with @JustTheTicket about showing, your best bet would be to contact an ex-pat - maybe through the US Embassy.

This worked for a friend I visited in Beijing & we visited several boarding barns there.
Amazingly lovely countryside once we got out of Beijing.

[pds]

I lived in Japan for a while a few years back. I was in southern Japan in Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture.

There was a riding center there at the Kokura Race Course, but I don’t think this is anywhere near where you will be with the World Rugby Cup.

This resource might be helpful.
http://equestrianasia.com/countries/equestrian-japan/

[Greypolopony]

I studied abroad in Tokyo for 6 months in college and never managed to get on a horse there despite my best efforts and conversational proficiency in Japanese. It’s just not a very horsey country, and the places where they do keep horses aren’t near their very excellent public transportation system, which means finding a friend with a car or driving on the other side of the road. They do like horse racing to a certain extent and I visited one Western barn that imported their QH from America, but riding is really not a national past time. If you put your mind to it I’m sure you could find a trail riding company for tourists, but I don’t think showing is realistic especially because they don’t tend to publish niche info like show schedules in English.

I think they import all of their tack so even if you found a tack store I’m not sure there would be anything you couldn’t buy at home.

My two cents would be to enjoy Japan for what it is while you’re there. There is so much amazing food and events and interesting places that are specific to this country, a month is really not enough time to even scratch the surface. If you really want to get a horsey fix of something that you can’t do at home, I recommend looking up temples that do Yabusame demonstrations during holidays/festivals. It’s their native mounted archery discipline which is 100% worth watching. I saw it in Nara but I believe it’s still practiced around the country.

[ReSomething]

The World Rugby Cup is going to be held all over the country, are you going to focus on the games played in one city? Even with the bullet train it’s a ride from Tokyo to Kobe. DDs friend visited and taught there and had photos of herself riding English but no jumps in sight. I’m not sure if DD keeps in contact with her but I can ask.

[GoneAway]

I agree that you might want to skip the riding and just focus on enjoying Japan. I spent the last year down on Okinawa, didn’t ride once, and while I missed the horses, there was just so many other things to do and enjoy. While I never spent any time on mainland (just flew in/out of Tokyo), I know there is some beautiful country to explore and a fabulous culture to immerse yourself in. I would highly recommend filling your days with food, hiking and/or walking tours of whatever areas your in, and exploring. Don’t let the need to ride distract you from everything else there is to see/do.

If you absolutely HAVE to ride, then I also agree it may be easier to just find a fun scenic ride. Will you be in this area?
https://www.equitours.com/horseback-…/samurai-ride/

[faraway46]

@JustTheTicket

No suggestions, but I’d bet you’d have more luck just taking a lesson or finding somewhere to trail ride. I think it would be hard (regardless of the country) to find someone willing to let a stranger randomly enter their horse in a show.

Thanks for the input, but I have done this before in other countries (Brazil, France, Mexico, USA, etc…). In fact, there is a great international show series called Global Amateur Tour, where you rent a local horse to show in a 1.15 championship. They have locations in Morocco, New Zealand, Brazil, Portugal, Mexico, Buenos Aires, etc. It’s organized for a week where they pick out the horse for you, you get to train for a few days and then you compete in three day show. Fun experience! This is their website: https://www.globalamateurtour.com

[faraway46]

@ReSomething

The World Rugby Cup is going to be held all over the country, are you going to focus on the games played in one city? Even with the bullet train it’s a ride from Tokyo to Kobe. DDs friend visited and taught there and had photos of herself riding English but no jumps in sight. I’m not sure if DD keeps in contact with her but I can ask.

Please do! maybe she can help me out! Thanks!

[poltroon]

@faraway46

Thanks for the input, but I have done this before in other countries (Brazil, France, Mexico, USA, etc…). In fact, there is a great international show series called Global Amateur Tour, where you rent a local horse to show in a 1.15 championship. They have locations in Morocco, New Zealand, Brazil, Portugal, Mexico, Buenos Aires, etc. It’s organized for a week where they pick out the horse for you, you get to train for a few days and then you compete in three day show. Fun experience! This is their website: https://www.globalamateurtour.com

That is a fun idea!

[JustTheTicket]

So, like, go to that website then?

[faraway46]

@JustTheTicket

So, like, go to that website then?

They don’t have locations in Japan. If they did, I would have already contacted them.
I have done four legs of their tour, so I am familiar with their reach.

[faraway46]

@poltroon

That is a fun idea!

It’s fabulous! They have been doing it for about two seasons now. You get to know local amateur riders, experience an international show representing your country and they organize site seeing and tourism in groups with all the other riders from other countries. Last show this past May in Mexico, 18 countries participated!
The whole horse experience costs about u$s2.000 (that doesn’t include airfare, hotels or airport transfers…only everything horsey related: entrees, rental of horse, groom, stabling, etc). All you have to do is bring your show clothes.
It’s a great idea! You make new friends that share the same passion and you get to visit a foreign country, guided by local riders. I had a blast every time! Super recommended!

[Lazy_Palomino_Hunter]

You might consider reaching out directly to Global Amateur Tour folks - they might be able to get you pointed in the right direction, even if they don’t have an explicit program set up in Japan.

Here’s a resource I found that lists out Japanese facilities and their specialties - http://equestrianasia.com/countries/equestrian-japan/ If you don’t find what you’re looking for by perusing this site, contacting these folks might be a good next step.

[LJD]

Finding a travel agent who specializes in Japan would be my recommendation. Travel & Leisure recently updated their list so I’d start there.

[ReSomething]

I’m sorry, DD no longer keeps in touch with that friend. You have good suggestions here though.