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[Picture Source](https://x.com/nomaoi_official/status/1786410418904428599/photo/1)

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On March 11, 2011, at 14:46:18, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck eastern Japan, killing thousands of people. The resulting tsunami and nuclear power plant meltdown left even more people without homes. In the coastal regions of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures, the scale of the destruction was enormous.

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Beyond the tragic loss of human life, the disaster also devastated the agricultural and livestock industries across the region. And in northern Fukushima, horses have long been an important part of the region’s cultural identity. 

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Every year, the region hosts the *Soma Nomaoi (相馬野馬追)*, a traditional festival with a history of more than a thousand years. The festival features several iconic events: 

*the Ogyōretsu (お行列)*, where samurai parade through the streets on horseback; 

*Kacchū Keiba (甲冑競馬)*, an armored horse race across the fields; and 

*Shinki Sōdatsusen (神旗争奪戦)*, where riders compete to capture sacred flags launched into the sky.

In another ritual known as *Nomakake (野馬懸)*, men dressed in traditional white costumes attempt to capture unbridled horses with their bare hands and dedicate them to the gods.

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The festival has been held almost every year in *Soma-Futaba Region (相双地区)* for over a thousand years. It also gives many retired racehorses a chance to take part in the tradition and shine once again.

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Among the retired racehorses that participated in the festival were ***No Reason (ノーリーズン)***, whose Umamusume character design and story revolve around the event; ***New York Cafe (ニューヨークカフェ)***, the brother of ***Manhattan Cafe;*** ***Admire Champ (アドマイヤチャンプ)***, the brother of ***Shinko Lovely***, and many others kept in stables throughout the region.

Those horses were meant to live out a bright second life there, admired and loved by many people. But on that day, everything changed.

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# Story of No Reason

Staying at *Matsuura Riding Center (松浦ライディングセンター)*, located in the relatively inland part of Minamisoma City, No Reason and the other horses at the center were lucky enough not to be affected by the tsunami. However, because the center was located near the 30-kilometer radius of the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the horses were instructed to leave the area. 

As a result, No Reason was transferred to *Utsunomiya University (宇都宮大学)*, where he remained until the end of 2014. He then went back to Minamisoma and continued to participate in the Soma Nomaoi festival until 2024.

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# Story of New York Cafe

But not every horse was so fortunate.

At the time of the earthquake, New York Cafe was staying at *Crane Riding Club Sendai Kaigan Koen (乗馬クラブクレイン仙台海岸公園)*, located along the coast in the suburbs of Sendai City. As the staff rushed to ensure their own safety, it was not until two days later that they were able to return and begin searching for their horses.

Eventually, 36 horses were found alive, wandering through the devastated streets. But 19 horses were either never found or later confirmed dead, and New York Cafe was among them.

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Afterward, a small monument was built beside the rebuilt equestrian park, dedicated to the horses that were lost in the earthquake and tsunami. The confirmed death toll of horses in the region was 175, though the actual number may have been higher.

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# Story of Admire Champ

Sometimes, in the endless desperation, there were still sparks of hope.

Admire Champ was staying at *Bell Seaside Farm (ベルシーサイドファーム)* when the earthquake struck. As the farm's name suggests, the stable stood only meters from the ocean. Before that day, the peaceful atmosphere of the farm had left a great impression on every visitor.

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Immediately after the earthquake, the staff faced an impossible choice. Releasing all 41 horses in the farm could cause chaos, as they might run into cars or trample people, yet their truck could not carry them all. In the end, the farm staff could only hope that the tsunami would not arrive as violently as the warning had suggested.

But the tsunami did come, fast and deadly. As the seawater rose rapidly, the staff rushed to open as many gates as they could, hoping to prevent the horses from being trapped in their stalls and drowning. Only then did they flee to the nearby Sendai Airport, taking refuge there at the last moment.

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A few days later, with the help of the Self-Defense Forces and the police, the farm staff began searching for their horses. At first, they held little hope that any of them had survived. They only hoped to bring the horses home and let them rest in peace.

But soon after they began their search, a soldier told them that there were still horses alive nearby. One of them was Admire Champ, injured but alive, with wounds on his back. Two days later, another survivor was found: ***Tony the Prince (トニーザプリンス),*** who had suffered a fracture in his left foreleg.

Both horses were quickly transported to another riding club in northern Sendai for further treatment.

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It took 39 days for the staff to locate the other 39 horses that had perished, scattered around the area surrounding Sendai Airport. Their names, together with the name of three dogs that once accompanied the club, are now recorded on a memorial plaque in the rebuilt clubhouse of *Bell Stable (ベルステーブル)*.

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After recovering, Admire Champ returned to Bell Stable and continued working there as a riding horse until 2013. He later moved to *Horse Trust Hokkaido (ホーストラスト北海道)*, where he has enjoyed a peaceful retirement ever since.

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# Story of Soma Nomaoi

Admire Champ's story became a small spark of hope. Admire Champ himself had once taken part in the Soma Nomaoi, running across the fields as part of the centuries-old festival. 

For a wounded Japan, many hoped that this spark would reach the hearts of those who had suffered in the disaster, and that the tradition he once carried could continue.

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Thus, the three major shrines that host the Soma Nomaoi decided to hold the festival that year to comfort the souls of those who had perished in the disaster, even though parts of the region remained under radiation evacuation orders and transporting horses and supplies was still difficult.

In the end, the festival was held on a smaller scale. In the sound of prayers and hoofbeats, the hope and resilience of not only the Soma-Futaba region, but all of Japan, were carried to the gods.

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As the years passed, the Soma Nomaoi festival became one of the benchmarks of the region’s reconstruction and a symbol that brought people in the region together. 

More and more people and horses who had once been forced to leave the area began returning, and tourists were willing to visit what had once been regarded as a radiation-affected region to show their support for the local communities.

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In recent years, the well-known retired racehorse farm *Versailles Resort Farm (ヴェルサイユリゾートファーム)* has announced plans to build a branch farm in the Soma–Futaba region, hoping to support the area’s recovery through the power of horses. 

One of the farm’s most famous residents, ***Wonder Acute (ワンダーアキュート)***, is also expected to represent *Shineha Village (標葉郷)* in Futaba and take part in the samurai parade in the Soma Nomaoi.

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Although the region was still far from complete recovery, the perseverance of the local people kept them moving forward, step by step, under the blessings of the gods and those who had perished.

Today (March 11, 2026) marks the 15th anniversary of the disaster. May the souls of all who perished rest in peace, and may the affected region recover soon. 

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**けっぱれ、東北。がんばれ、日本。**

**Keppare Tohoku, Ganbare Nippon.** 

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Stories of Soma Nomaoi Horses After the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake