I happened to reside near-ish the Fuchu region for my escapede this time round and thought it would be fun to explore the fabled 東京府中競馬場 / JRA Tokyo Racecourse.

Now, it was my first time being in an actual horse racing course. Back home we have (or had) a racecourse now turned shopping district, and now it is being demolished to make way for residential development (RIP turf city).

So it was quite an experience to see a full-fledged racecourse in person. Since the races in the region have been moved to Nakayama, the race course is in its off season, and winding down from the recent Japan Cup. 

Despite this, the place was full of people, who were all there to do one thing: bet on horses (who would have guessed). 

I will spare the main details since I think it is a unique experience for many and it is best done in person, but it was a sight to behold to say the least.  Seeing the absolute scale and size of the place was jaw dropping. 

And coincidentally, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD) happened to be there as well with their mounted unit, and allowed the public to interact with the horses. Otherwise, any horse interaction was limited to the Sunday event through a lottery system. 

They were also broadcasting races from other regions, and people sat in seats watching them on the big screen.

The announcers were also broadcast over the main speakers, and it really felt like it was the actual deal, minus the crowd. 

The JRA Museum was also interesting, but were strict on photos (which was why I only had a photo of the entrance). 

The gift shop on the second floor had various memorabilia ranging from horse plushes to...Horse Goshuin Books (stamp book)? 

When compared to other anime-inspired tourisms like Kancolle/Azur Lane, it is definitely very subtle, and basically there is zero representation (for Fuchu at least). I am not complaining whatsoever, but would like to point it out of any umamusume fans are expecting giant cutouts like in Kasamatsu. 

It was certainly an interesting experience and I would highly recommend seeing the place in person. There is just so many nooks and crannies to explore that it would take a full day to fully indulge in the culture. 

An escapde to the Tokyo Fuchu Racecourse