This year's Hokkaido Horse Racing will finally kick off on Wednesday, April 16th at Monbetsu Racecourse in Hidaka Town, Hokkaido! In addition to the exciting night races and local gourmet food that only local horse racing can offer, there are also plenty of popular tourist spots where you can interact with horses! In this article, we will introduce the charms of Hidaka Town, the "town of horses."

"Hokkaido Racecourse" is a local racecourse run by the Hokkaido Prefectural Government. It is held at Monbetsu Racecourse in Hidaka Town, one of the world's leading horse-breeding areas, and the 2025 season will begin on Wednesday, April 16th.

Horse racing in Hokkaido has a long history, and foreigners who were involved in the development of Hokkaido during the Meiji period built racecourses in Sapporo and other areas. These became the roots of modern horse racing. After the war, national horse racing (Central Horse Racing) and local horse racing (municipal horse racing, prefectural horse racing) were held all over the prefecture, but currently the only local horse racing events held in Hokkaido are the "Ban'ei Horse Racing" in Obihiro City and the "Hokkaido Horse Racing" here in Hidaka Town.

Monbetsu Racecourse has a 1600m clockwise course and is close to the Polaris☆Stand, so you can watch dynamic races. Also, in the paddock, you can get much closer to the horses than at other racecourses! You can watch the excitement of the horses up close.

Polaris Stand

The Grand Chariot Nighter will be held for the entire 85-day period, from the opening on Wednesday, April 16th to Thursday, November 13th. When the sun goes down, the Polaris☆Stand is lit up, and the setting sun shines on the curves of the stand, creating an impressive sight.

In between races, you can also enjoy local gourmet food. There are various restaurants lined up at "Tonekko Square" in front of the racecourse. Incidentally, "Tonekko" means "foal (mainly one-year-old horse)" in the Hokkaido dialect.

At Tonekko Jingisukan, you can enjoy Monbetsu Racecourse's original Jingisukan, served in a metal bucket with a Jingisukan pot on top. The meat is the "Original Hidaka Jingisukan" sold by Takayanagi Shoten in Hidaka Town. The grill house is a private room type, so it is easy for families to use, and you can also enjoy it at the outdoor tables on sunny days.

Genghis Khan set requires advance reservation

Izumi Shokudo is famous for its thick country soba noodles made with buckwheat flour from Tokachi. They serve a variety of Hokkaido ingredients, including duck, chicken, soft white leeks, and octopus, and the restaurant serves meals packed with the delicious flavors of Hokkaido.

If you want to eat authentic curry, head to the Asian restaurant "Lumbini Food Cafe"! The local flavors, made by professionals from Nepal, are spicy and full of umami. Not only curry, but also tandoori chicken, kebabs, and other dishes are all authentic and not to be missed.

Chicken Vegetable Curry Naan

Official Goods Shop

The official goods shop in Tonekko Square sells a variety of original goods. There are notebooks with the jockeys' faces printed on them, key chains, racehorse badges, and more. There are also goods featuring the original characters Tenta and Maki. Maybe you'll find something you like?

Next to the shop, there is a box with the words "Losing Ticket Memorial Box" written on the side. It is not just a collection box, but a box for memorializing losing tickets at the shrine after the season ends. This is a service that any horse racing fan would be happy to receive.

Many events will be held to coincide with the opening of Hokkaido horse racing!

To commemorate the opening of Hokkaido Racecourse 2025 on Wednesday, April 16th, various events will be held at Monbetsu Racecourse. Here are some noteworthy events that will give you even more fun while watching the races.

1. Kenji Sugiya will be there and will be a guest commentator

Former professional baseball player Kenji Sugiya, who has been appointed as the official ambassador for Hokkaido Racecourse 2025, will be attending the event! He is scheduled to make a guest appearance at the opening ceremony and in the live broadcast studio.

2. Opening Ceremony (Kagami-biraki)

A ceremony to celebrate the opening of the season is held before the first race. Don't miss the moment when the sake barrel is opened!

3. Gifts for visitors

To commemorate the opening, the first 300 people will receive a "Hokkaido Horse Racing 2025 Racing Calendar," "Hokkaido Furano Hop Carbonated Water," and "Red and White Mochi"!

In addition, the first 300 people to arrive at the Tonekko Square special tent will receive an original towel as a gift.

4. Hidaka Town Specialty Market & Food Truck Opening

Local specialties will be on sale, including the local gourmet dish "Tsubu Kushi." Also, on the 16th only, there will be a food truck set up at a special booth near the paddock!

5. Jockey towels and jockey stuffed toys for sale

Jockey muffler towels will be on sale from 2024, and jockey stuffed toys will be on sale from 2025.

As you can see, there's plenty to enjoy on the opening day besides watching the races! Be sure to check out Monbetsu Racecourse!

Hidaka Town is also full of ranch spots where you can interact with horses!

Hidaka Town is not only home to Monbetsu Racecourse, but also has many other tourist attractions unique to the "town of horses." There are so many attractive facilities where you can interact with horses that it would be a shame to just come to watch the races. Here we will introduce some noteworthy ranch spots in Hidaka Town that are perfect for families and animal lovers.

1. Ohisama Farm

A petting ranch that specializes in miniature horses. This is the only place where you can interact with them directly, not through a fence! You can also enjoy feeding and brushing. Miniature horses are the smallest horses in the world, standing 83.7cm tall and weighing around 80kg when fully grown. Come and spend some relaxing time with the many miniature horses.

2. Yogibo Versailles Resort Farm

This is a ranch where you can observe retired race horses. Over 30 famous horses live here, including Rose Kingdom, Admire Japan, Hiruno D'amour, BB Gardan, and Tanino Gimlet. You might even meet your favorite horse!

The ranch also has accommodation where you can spend time surrounded by horses. They also sell a variety of original goods, such as beauty serum made from thoroughbred placenta. A portion of the sales will be donated to the retired horses.

In addition, on days when Hokkaido Racecourse is held, a free shuttle bus runs from the north exit of JR Sapporo Station. As an optional plan, there is also a free shuttle from Monbetsu Racecourse to "Yogibo Versailles Resort Farm (Wednesdays only)" and "Ohisama Farm (Thursdays only)". Get closer to Hokkaido Racecourse and the unique spots of this horse breeding region! Please make use of this service.