Wild Horse Racing
Near: Sendai (Event is Free)
Event Date(s):
Jul. 24, 2025 • Jul. 25, 2025 • Jul. 26, 2025
(Last Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of July)
Dates are subject to change without notice. Check with the official organizers before making travel arrangements.
The "Wild Horse Racing" and Warlord Era Parade (in Japanese; "Soma Nomaoi" 相馬野馬追) takes place in Fukushima Prefecture near the major city of Soma in the town town of Haranomachi. Haranomachi station is about an hour from Sendai on a limited express train. From Haranomachi there are shuttle buses to the event at Higashigaoka Park, specifically the Hibarigahara field 雲雀ヶ原祭場地 (See Google Map below or view "Image Map" to the right) within that park; 4 Chome-13-27 Haramachi-ku, Hashimoto-cho, Minamisoma, Fukushima. There are plenty of hotels and Japanese Inns around this area so this festival makes a great "destination" spot to stay, visit and experience a wonderful Japanese festival.
This extremely exciting, 1000 year old festival shows off the horse riding Samurai! Wild horses are raced and participants are decked out in Warlord Era garb. This area is known for horse-breeding therefore the event. The festival is organized by three shrines, Ota Shrine and Odaka Shrine in Minami-Soma City and Nakamura-Shrine in Soma City. There is much to see during this three day event but highlights include, 1.) the Koshiki Kacchu Keiba, in which twelve samurai horsemen clad in armor and helmets, and carrying katana swords all race over a distance of 1,000 meters and 2.) the Shinki Sodatsusen, hundreds samurai horsemen compete for 40 shrine flags shot into the air with fireworks. Both take place on the vast Hibarigahara field on the 24th. There is an "Opening Ceremony" on the 23rd which starts with a hand made conch shell horn and then on the 24th Taiko War Drums.
Haranomachi, Fukushima Japan
Website: Wild Horse Racing Homepage
