Let's pull business travelers out of hotels and into the city!

As Obihiro's population shrinks and more and more stores are closing, Nagata's thoughts are in line with those of Tokachi City Design, which has been thinking about "what is the identity of the city" and "what are the attractions of Obihiro that we can be proud of" and putting them into action.

For me, Obihiro, and by extension, the city of Tokachi, is very attractive. The only place in Japan where there are so many big horses, called "Bansuma," and they are still here in the form of Banei horse racing. I am not a horse racing hobbyist, but the photographs taken by a photographer named Shin Yamagishi of the Banshorses were wonderful, and that is how I came to pay attention to them.

Nagata was fascinated by the powerful photographs that focus not on horse racing but on the horses themselves, and after taking a backyard tour of the racetrack, she realized that "BANMA is the treasure that will make Tokachi the best tourist destination in Japan. The program finally came to fruition in April 2019, when the horse-drawn carriage BAR began operation. At the end of that year, the spread of the new coronavirus and other problems forced a long period of preparation, but after many difficulties, the environment was finally in place for many users to enjoy the program.

The service schedule is four days a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with three departures per day from NUPKA, departing at 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. Of course, NUPKA guests are welcome to take advantage of this service. Of course, the service is also available to non-guests of NUPKA. If more people visit Tokachi for the purpose of visiting the horse-drawn carriage bar, more people will naturally stay and eat and drink in Obihiro City, which will have an economic effect.

In addition to attracting tourists, we also aim to "draw business travelers out of the hotels and into the city," he said. There are many hotels in front of Obihiro Station, but there are also many business travelers. We want to avoid a situation where people who work during the day and are free at night are stuck in hotels because they don't know the city well. We want people to use Basha BAR as an opportunity to enjoy Obihiro at night. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's tourism policy "Night Time Economy" also states that spending night time in a meaningful way will lead to increased consumption.

You can use it in various ways, such as enjoying the city outdoors with the night breeze, or enjoying beer and snacks with casual friends on the first floor.

We want to increase the number of Tokachi fans through "interaction with locals," the best part of traveling.

Basha BAR is not only for customers from outside, but also for locals.

After all, locals are the easiest people to ride with. Even if it is difficult for them to ride frequently, there are people who want to give it a try. If they try it and enjoy it, for example, when relatives or business partners from outside the province come to visit, they may offer to take a ride at the horse-drawn carriage BAR. It would be nice if people who socialize a lot use the bar two or three times a year for that reason."

Of course, horse racing fans also visit. The horse that now runs the horse-drawn carriage bar is Musashi Koma, a horse that once competed in Banei Tokachi. Many people say, "I came to Hokkaido to see Koma-chan. These people also become regular repeat visitors to Obihiro.

Musashi Koma, aka "Koma-chan. She has a very kind expression.

The program is about enjoying delicious craft beer and snacks made with local ingredients while riding a horse-drawn carriage to view the city, but from a different perspective, it could be said that the passengers are the ones being viewed by the city. When the carriages pass through town, people point their cameras at us, and some even wave to us as we walk by. Some people say that the interaction with the locals, which is one of the most enjoyable aspects of a regional city, makes them fall in love with the town and come back to Tokachi again.

The "Beer for the Beginning of the Journey" made for HOTEL NUPKA guests is 100% Hokkaido barley. Two kinds of Tokachi cheese and a snack set of Tokachi potatoes can also be enjoyed at the BAR.

Mr. Nagata says that he will continue to run the Basha BAR in the future because of the positive response he is getting from customers. With only one carriage, one horse, and a minimal staff, the bar operates four days a week, but if the number of customers increases, it is possible to increase the number of carriages and horses and run the bar every day. If that happens, Obihiro will become a town where horse-drawn carriages are always running around at night. We hope to create such a special world," says Nagata.

If Banei Tokachi, Bamba and Basha BAR spread and people recognize that the streets of Obihiro are full of horse-drawn carriages, the city will be crowded with tourists, and when local children grow up and go outside, they will be proud to say, "There are horse-drawn carriages in the town where I grew up. That is my dream.

In October 2023, Musashikoma became the Tokachi Tourism Ambassador.

Regional revitalization can only take shape if the local people embrace it, not to mention attract tourists. Mr. Nagata will continue to work hard, dreaming of the day when Basha BAR, which both residents and visitors can enjoy, will eventually become the face of the city.

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