Something different: Going to the races!

When people think about Japan, they may think about many things; they may think about the cultural side of Japan, full of temples and historical significance; possibly they think about the technological side of the country and the robotic advances within the country; or maybe they think of the media that comes out of Japan such as anime, manga and video games. However, like any country, Japan has a vast range of different media and cultural interests for people of all kinds. One of these more niche types of entertainment that is a bit less known is horse racing.

Japan isn't famous for its horse racing, but the place it has within Japanese society is rather unique. Until recently gambling was generally illegal in Japan, but there were a few forms that were permitted. The ubiquitous pachinko parlors that can be found at most major stations get around this by not playing directly for money but instead for prizes (which can then be exchanged back into money outside the building usually). Direct gambling, however, is only allowed through government run lotteries and betting on races, the most common of which being horse racing.

Since the races are run by local governments as an extra form of revenue they are often rather impressive facilities, and Tokyo City Keiba is no different. Sitting between the Tokyo monorail and the Keikyu line, it is easy to get to from both Tokyo and Yokohama and is a breath of fresh air compared to the cramped and crowded city. The facilities are new and imposing, with comfort and convenience put in foremost place. Even without taking part in the gambling, there are a variety of restaurants and leisure facilities making this an interesting place to spend a day.

The main reason people come is for the gambling though, and there are many ways to do this. If the weather is bad, you can stay inside and gamble watching on TVs, seeing it all play out on a variety of monitors. If you wish to spend a bit more money, the VIP area is an air conditioned comfortable viewing platform, where a sense of camaraderie builds up as people get more excited. If the weather is nice, however, the best place to view is from outside on the stands. Getting an up close view of the races is the true way to experience the exhilarating thrill of a race.

Racing in Japan is popular with all sorts of people, many of which you may not get to see at other popular tourist locations. Older, more wealthy retirees often enjoy spending a day at the races, but they are also very talkative to new people! After work, the business people looking to relax flood in, especially on race nights, filling out the seats and building the atmosphere even more. At the weekend there is an even bigger variety of people, with there even being markets and the likes happening in the local area to supplement the feeling. There is no limit to what kind of people you may meet.

However, there is no escaping the fact that all of these people are there to gamble, a fact that comes with certain problems, not least of which is the nature of what they are gambling on. Horse racing is often seen as being elegant and a display of skill, but it's easy to forget that these animals are only valued as long as they can keep running. Even during my short visit, one of the horses took a fall and was killed on the race track in front of everyone. There are also concerns about enabling addicts, an argument that, at least until recently, prevented true gambling from being permitted in Japan. However, the idea that horse racing is the worst enabler falls pretty short when compared to the prevalence of pachinko.

At the very least, the price to entry is very cheap and there is a unique feeling that can't be replaced. with tickets being only 100 yen at the door and free with a passport, and bets starting from just 100 yen as well, the cost to watch at the very least is extremely low. The nature of how this is connected directly with the government is interesting to ponder as you watch people throwing money at different races, all with the hope of making it big. Next time you are looking for something that is a bit different to do in Tokyo, why not try visiting Tokyo City Keiba Horse Racing.

Find out more at https://www.tokyocitykeiba.com/en/