Hokkaido Keiba, a horse racing event organized by Hokkaido, is held at Monbetsu Racecourse in Hidaka Town. At the center of its appeal is the popular night race series, Grand Chariot Nighter, which marked its 15th anniversary in 2024.
For the 2025 season running from April 16 to November 13, races are scheduled across 31 weeks and 85 days. They are primarily held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
On opening day, around 1,500 spectators gathered from nearby areas, including local towns and Sapporo. The crowd was captivated by the sight of thoroughbreds racing under the bright lights.
A Cradle of Thoroughbreds
The Hidaka region is known for having the highest concentration of thoroughbred farms in Japan. A stretch of about 90 kilometers (56 miles) along National Route 235 is called the "Yushun Roman Kaido" (Thoroughbred Romantic Road).
This scenic route runs from Monbetsu Racecourse in Hidaka Town to the entrance of the Tenma Highway in Urakawa Town. Visitors can spot numerous horse ranches, where horses roam freely or graze in open pastures.
Monbetsu Racecourse is about an hour and a half by car from Sapporo via the Hokkaido Expressway. On race days, a free shuttle bus (reservation required) operates daily to and from JR Sapporo Station.
This season, a new route was added with stops at ranches in Hidaka. On opening day, a record three shuttle buses ran, showing the event's growing popularity.
Fan Experiences
On opening day, the shuttle bus arrived at Monbetsu Racecourse around 2 PM, just before the first race began. The venue was already lively, with fans arriving early to take part in special events and receive giveaways for early entrants.
One of the main attractions was the paddock, where spectators could watch the horses up close before the races. A simple fence separated the thoroughbreds from the crowd — just one to two meters away.
A woman in her 60s, an office worker visiting from Sapporo, was struck by the horses' well-trained physiques. "I never thought I'd get this close to them," she said, clearly impressed.
The first race started at 2:20 PM, with subsequent races held every 30 to 40 minutes until the 12th and final event. Watching from the stands, a man in his 50s who works in an office remarked, "You can even hear the horses breathing as they warm up on the track. That closeness to the action is what makes local races so special."
Evolution of Hokkaido Keiba
Hokkaido Keiba began in 1948. Originally held at six racecourses throughout Hokkaido, the events were consolidated at Monbetsu Racecourse in 2010 due to years of heavy financial losses.
The popular Grand Chariot Nighter takes its name from the Big Dipper, known in French as the "Grand Chariot." This asterism, a guiding light in the northern sky, consists of seven stars, just like the seven towns of the Hidaka region.
In fiscal 2024, Hokkaido Keiba achieved its highest-ever annual revenue, reaching ¥54.3 billion JPY (about $372 million USD), marking the 12th consecutive year of profitability.
According to Akira Murakami, PR officer for the Hokkaido Light Horse Breeding Promotion Corporation, which manages the racecourse, 92% of sales came from online betting. "We're deeply grateful to horse racing fans across Japan for their continued support," he said.
As part of its efforts to engage with fans, Hokkaido Keiba launched its official YouTube channel in 2023. This season, they began streaming information about all races, further increasing the races' appeal.
Murakami also promotes other tourist attractions and major events in the Hidaka region. "We hope people will include a visit to the racecourse as part of their sightseeing plans," he added.
Access
Phone Number: 01456-2-4110
Getting There
- Free Shuttle Bus: Reservation required. The shuttle departs from the group bus terminal at the north exit of JR Sapporo Station. It takes approximately 1.5 hours to reach Monbetsu Racecourse. For more details, visit the Hokkaido Keiba official website.
- By Car: Free parking is available. Take the expressway from Tomakomai-Higashi IC to Numanohata-Higashi IC via the Hidaka Expressway, then exit at Mukawa IC. From there, a 15-minute drive toward Urakawa on National Route 235.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: Takahiro Sakamoto, The Sankei Shimbun
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