Horses have been an important part of the pioneering history of Hokkaido. Draft horses imported from Europe were used to help clear the land and do work in the farm fields. As time went on, farmers made their prized horses compete in a tug-of-war to compare their strength and appraise their value. This later became competitions that involved horses pulling weighted sleds, which eventually led to the development of Ban’ei Horse Racing. This unique form of horse racing now remains only in the city of Obihiro. In this tour, a local guide will take you to various spots in Obihiro where you can interact with horses and learn about their rich history in Hokkaido.

After arriving at the Obihiro Horse Race Track, you will have lunch at the Banba Gallery in the Fureai Little Farm. Here you can also learn about the history of horses in Tokachi and the origins of Ban’ei Horse Racing.

You will then visit Hiroyuki Mochida Horsemanship, a horse riding facility in the southern part of Obihiro. Here you can meet and interact with various kinds of horses and learn about horsemanship, or the art of communicating with horses. Participants who are at least 130 cm/4’3″ tall and weigh less than 80 kg/176 lbs can also try horse riding. 
Note: For safety reasons, the horse riding may be cancelled depending on the weather and the condition of the horses.

After the horsemanship experience, you will go back to the Obihiro Horse Race Track and visit the Horse Museum to learn more about the important roles played by horses in the development history of Tokachi. 

Finally, you will get to watch an actual Ban’ei Tokachi horse race. A fun and exciting way to watch is to run along the course and cheer your horse on as the race progresses.

For transportation between Furano and Tokachi, you will use the North Liner transit bus pictured above (operated by Dohoku Bus). An attendant will be present at the meetup location to guide you.

Note: All images are for illustration purposes only. Your actual experience may vary.

Schedule

Note: Schedule is subject to change depending on weather conditions and other circumstances.

9:00	Meetup at Furano Bus Terminal (beside Furano Station)
9:27	Board North Liner bus
11:57	Alight bus at Obihiro Keibajo (Horse Race Track)
12:00	Bento lunch at Fureai Littel Farm, Banba Gallery tour
13:00	Transfer to Hiroyuki Mochida Horsemanship by car
13:30	Arrive at Hiroyuki Mochida Horsemanship, natural horsemanship and horse riding experience
14:30	Return to Obihiro Horse Race Track by car
15:00	Horse Museum tour
16:00	Ban’ei horse race watching
17:07	Board North Liner bus from Obihiro Keibajo bus stop
19:39	Arrive at Furano Bus Terminal