Japan’s Largest Racecourse 🐴　Tokyo Racecourse

Horse racing started in the UK,
but in 1540,
 the racecourses seem to be built like the ones you see today.
Horse racing was particularly popular in Europe, 
but it made its way to Asia in 1842 when horse racing was held in Singapore,
then in Japan's very own Yokohama around 1860. 
(Just over 150 years ago!)

Apparently as the years passed,
horse racing has undergone unique evolution and change in Japan. 
 

There are racecourses in 10 different locations all over Japan, and this specific one, Tokyo Racecourse,
 can me reached by train from Tokyo. Due to the characteristics of racecourses, a wide opened area is needed, many tend to think that any racecourse would have to be way out of the city, thus difficult to get to! However, that's not the case here. The racecourse has its own train station. So travelers native and foreign can get to it easier. 
＊JRA Racing Calendar HERE!

Going to Tokyo Racecourse from Center of the City by Train

Station

Walkway

Entrance crowded with people

🚃Go by train🏇
① Keio Line 
Fuchukeiba-seimommae Station ⇒ 2min walk

② Keio Line
Higashi-fuchu Station ⇒ 10 min walk

③ JR Musashino Line, Nambu Line
Fuchuhommachi Station ⇒ 5 min walk

④ Seibu Tamagawa Line
Koremasa Station ⇒ 10 min walk

Getting ready

It's only 200 yen (roughly 2 bucks) to get in!!

Remember to get a BETTING CARD

Get a “Betting Card”

For your reference

Fill in the Betting Card

Many foreigners come to the racecourse wanting to test their luck, but don't quite know how.
For that reason, they made a Betting Card file sheet to lay over the ticket to help you place your bet!

*What is a betting ticket?
Pick and vote for the horse that takes your eye!
If the horse you chose wins, you get your money with this ticket!
 

As If it were a Theme Park…

You can experience all sorts of things with horses raised here! It becomes perfectly clear why they call the Tokyo Racecourse a "recreational facility". What's more is all of this stuff that's available is free. We'll let you know all the things one can do here!

Get Close to the Horses

Go Ride Some Horses!

Chariot Ride

Greenery Area inside the Racecourse

Family times to ride on a mini-train

A Wide Variety of Restaurants

Plenty of stalls Outdoor

Restaurant Plaza

Tokyo Racecourse combines various facilities, but its food is surprisingly exceptional, 
and apparently there are many people that would say the same. 

There are a lot of restaurants at the racecourse to choose from, 
but we decided on tonkatsu!
In Japanese, the pronunciation "katsu" in tonkatsu
is the same as the word "katsu",
that means "victory"!
So by eating tonkatsu,
it's like taking in that extra good luck to win big!

How to Enjoy the Races

See the Horses in a Paddock

If you're gonna bet some of your money,
you should first check them out and then choose a horse right? 
That's why we recommend you first going to a place called the paddock first.

How to View the Horses

Generally, 
the horse torso is short and has a strong body build.
However it's said that longer, stronger horses make the best ones for racing.

Buy a ticket!

Fill Out the Mark Card

Check the winning horse forecast

Fill in the mark card

Example: When buying a win ticket
1. Choose the place where the horse race is (in this case Tokyo).
2. Select the race number (there are 12 races a day).
3. Choose "Win"
4. In the 1st Bet, choose the number of the horse you choose to win.
5. In the right "Amount" column, select the bet amount along with the unit.
6. Put it in the horse betting ticket machine.

For more info, please click HERE
 

How to use the automatic ticket machine
① Insert money
② Insert the filled out card
③ Check the screen to make sure it's filled out correctly
④ Press the "checkout" button on the upper right
⑤ Receive your betting ticket!

Enjoy the race!

Start!

A gate where the racehorse dash off from will be set up, 
and guiding horses bringing in the race horses to the course soon fallow.

Once the race begins, the quiet racecourse soon becomes filled 
with the crowd's powerful cheers.
It felt different from the type of supportive cheering 
you would normally hear at a general sports competition.

OH MY GOD! FIRST PLACE!!!!
WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT OURSELVES!!
Seriously?!
The horse we bet on won?!
Now it's time to claim our money💸

How to claim money?

Insert the ticket

Press the green button

GET YOUR MONEY

A Place You Can Enjoy Indoors!
This area is just like a movie theater, and it is called the "West Hall".
Since the outdoor audience seats also have a roof, 
extra measures against rain has been taken,
but you can also enjoy the horse races with indoors and have more room. 
 Here too it is just as possible to enjoy the crowds' cheers 
and the show as watching from outside!

Saturday and Sunday 9:00-17:00
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