Obihiro with Kids: Japan's Horse & Farm Country

Obihiro is a big city located in southeastern Hokkaido, which offered us an interesting stop before we headed to Furano/ Biei

Northern Horse Park Adventures

The Northern horse park is a place where you can enjoy looking at horses or going on an assisted ride on a big horse.  There are stables where you can see horses of different breeds such as Lead rein horses and former racehorses  from Germany, Belgium and obviously, Japan. We also saw jockeys in training around an obstacle course, as well as a  pony show. The pony will do lots of tricks like jumping bars or waving to you! 

Hot Air Balloon Sunrise Experience

If you want to take a ride on a hot air balloon, you have to wake up early. There is a two hour balloon ride around the countryside that only happens 4 to 5 am - the reason for this early hour is that as the day progresses, the winds get stronger and make it dangerous. We went for a short ride, where you take the balloon up for a view of the surrounding fields, and then back down without drifting around. You can feel the hot air blowing on your head as you rise. It is quite an experience!

Kofuku "Happiness" Train Station

Kofuku Train Station is a now-closed railway station in the city of Obihiro. Even after its closure as a working station, it remains a popular sightseeing location where visitors come to wish for good luck as ‘Kofuku’ literally means ‘Happiness’ in Japanese. 

Ringing the good luck bell: There was a bell for ringing and Matthew tried to ring it but it was too high for him to reach. It was hilarious to see him jumping trying to reach it. Here, we saw an electric tram that doesn’t have an engine as also a train used to clear snow off the track with its gigantic snow plough.

Natural Attractions near Obihiro

Iwanai Gorge Bridge Walk

This  gorge was created by the Iwanai river. A bridge connects the two sides of the gorge and standing on this, you  can see the river flowing underneath, and enjoy the magnificent view. There are supposed to be a few treks around this area, which we couldn’t really do because they were closed. 

Rokka Forest

This is a beautiful landscaped garden with about nine huts which are galleries for the artwork of a famous painter; Naoyuki Sakamoto Chokko, who painted loads of pictures of mountains and flowers.

Meeting Hokkaido's Giant Draft Horses

In Hokkaido, a special breed of draft horses were bred by crossing French / Belgian imported breeds with local mares, to create massive draft horses that each weigh close to a tonne! These horses were originally used for their agriculture and lumber industry, but today have not much use beyond being pets, for horse meat, and for horse racing. 

One-Tonne Horses: How Big Are They?

We visited one of the stables housing these giant horses. Before entering these stables, you have to wear boots and also disinfect your hands and feet so you don’t pass on diseases to the horses. I was extremely awed by how big these horses were, each of which can pull a tonne. Their huge necks towered over the fence like monsters. They are also very beautiful with shiny coats of different shades - silver, black, palomino, brown and white, and bushy manes and tails. 

Ban'ei Horse Racing (Optional Activity)

At the Obihiro Ban’ei races, horses are made to pull a one tonne sled over two ramps and people bet to see which horse wins. I felt a little sad to see the horses struggle when they run out of stamina as they have to pull their own body weight. I know many people might like to see the race but it wasn't really something I liked as much.

History of Draft Horse Racing

Ban’ei racing has its probable origin in agricultural work, when horses were used to pull farming machinery and sleds of wood. Eventually, the horses were tested for speed and strength in festivals of the late Meiji Era. The popularity grew; in 1953, Hokkaido's four cities (Kitami, Asahikawa, Iwamizawa, and Obihiro) began to manage races. The former three closed operations in 2007 due to declining revenues. Obihiro racecourse is now the only one currently active, hosting races most Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.  

Accommodation in Obihiro

In Obihiro we stayed in a townhouse close to the supermarket and other shopping malls. It is also for around 12 people.