📝 Note: Note: This blog is normally written in Japanese and targets Japanese readers. However, I've translated this particular article into English as an experiment to see whether it reaches international visitors. The translation was done with the assistance of Claude Sonnet 4.6 by Anthropic. Please note that the information in this article is based on a visit made in September 2023. If you found this page from overseas — welcome, and I hope you enjoy it!
"Oguri! Oguri! Oguri! Oguri comes in first!"
That was the announcer's voice — electric with excitement — as Oguri Cap crossed the finish line at the 1990 Arima Kinen, his final race. I'm pretty sure I was watching that moment on the TV at the shogi dojo I used to go to for fun.
I was 19 at the time — too young to bet — but I watched plenty of horse racing on TV and knew all about the Oguri Cap craze. That's exactly why I'd always wanted to visit Kasamatsu Racecourse in Gifu, the place where Oguri Cap's career began before he transferred to the Japan Racing Association (JRA) and went on to write legendary chapters in racing history.
In September 2023, I stopped by Kasamatsu Racecourse on the way to a press tour near Sekigahara. As luck would have it, there was a race meet on that day.
Getting to Kasamatsu from Gifu-Hashima Station
Kasamatsu Racecourse sits next to Meitetsu Kasamatsu Station, which you can reach directly from Shinkansen stops like Nagoya or Gifu-Hashima by switching to the Meitetsu line. I was staying in Gifu-Hashima, so I took the Meitetsu Takehana Line from there.
At Gifu-Hashima Shinkansen Station, you transfer to Shin-Hashima on the Meitetsu side. The station entrance is narrow — almost like a long, thin eel's bed (a very Japanese architectural style).
It had been a while since I'd ridden a single-track line. On single-track railways, trains wait at designated stations to let the oncoming train pass — it has a charmingly old-fashioned feel.
About 20 minutes from Shin-Hashima, terminal to terminal, and I arrived at Kasamatsu Station. So this is Kasamatsu — the place where Oguri Cap grew up.
A short walk from the station, you cross a road and climb up an embankment.
From the top of the embankment, the entrance to Kasamatsu Racecourse comes into view below you.
Greeted by the Oguri Cap Statue
Just inside the main gate on the left stands a bronze statue of Oguri Cap, ready to welcome visitors.
There's also a huge Oguri Cap display panel — a reminder that he's still very much an idol horse here, even decades later. It was genuinely moving.
Lunch at the Very Restaurant Featured in Umamusume: Cinderella Gray
It was lunchtime, and with no major race on the card, I decided to eat first.
In today's Japan, many people know Oguri Cap and Kasamatsu through the mobile game Umamusume: Pretty Derby and its manga spin-off Umamusume: Cinderella Gray, rather than from actual horse racing. In the manga, Oguri Cap appears as herself (anthropomorphized, of course), and while the racecourse is renamed "Kasamatsu Race Track," its interior is depicted in faithful detail.
In Chapter 7 ("Junior Crown"), Tamamo Cross — Oguri Cap's rival both in real racing and in the game — appears eating kishimen noodles at a restaurant inside the track. That restaurant actually exists.
©漫画：久住太陽 脚本：杉浦理史＆Pita 漫画企画構成：伊藤隼之介 （原作：Cygames） ©Manga: Taiyō Kuzumi / Script: Masafumi Sugiura & Pita / Manga Planning: Junnosuke Itō (Original Work: Cygames)
It's called Marukin.
Inside, you'll find figurines of Tamamo Cross and acrylic standees of Oguri Cap on display.
Old race posters featuring Oguri Cap are also on display.
I ordered the kishimen that Tamamo Cross is said to have eaten in the manga. It came in a gentle, delicate dashi broth — really delicious.
I'll be honest: I started with a large bottle of beer, sashimi (octopus and tuna), and doteni (Nagoya-style offal stew) before moving on to the kishimen.
In the game lore, Oguri Cap's childhood dream is written as "to become doteni" — so as a pilgrimage, there was absolutely no skipping it.
It was sweet, savory, tender braised offal that paired perfectly with beer.
The staff were warm and friendly, and even shared some behind-the-scenes stories about when the manga featured the restaurant. If you visit Kasamatsu Racecourse, Marukin is a must-stop!
A Compact Racecourse Where the Stands Are Right Next to the Track
I'm no expert on racecourses, but Kasamatsu is known for being compact. Walking between the east and west stands doesn't take long at all.
You can also watch Meitetsu trains running alongside the track from the course — a quirky and atmospheric detail. And of course, if you're on the train, you can see the racecourse from the window.
What really surprised me was how close the grandstands are to the track. There are just two fences between you and the horses.
Even on a weekday with only small races scheduled, there were several photographers on-site — the proximity to the track must make it a dream to shoot.
Even without a telephoto lens, I managed to get shots this close. (Okay, the slight tilt in the photo is definitely the large bottle of beer talking.)
I lost a little on the betting, but I hadn't put much down to begin with.
The big screen in action.
Inside the grounds, there's a small shrine called Katsu-un Inari (Victory Fortune Shrine).
I tossed in a coin and prayed. Still didn't win. Worth a shot.
There's also the stage where Oguri Cap dances the Kasamatsu Ondo (a local folk dance) in the manga — and yes, it actually exists at the racecourse.
©漫画：久住太陽 脚本：杉浦理史＆Pita 漫画企画構成：伊藤隼之介 （原作：Cygames） ©Manga: Taiyō Kuzumi / Script: Masafumi Sugiura & Pita / Manga Planning: Junnosuke Itō (Original Work: Cygames)
A Racecourse Overflowing with Love for Oguri
On a weekday afternoon, Kasamatsu Racecourse was pleasantly quiet — a relaxed, easygoing place to spend time.
Yakisoba from one of the stalls.
And takoyaki too.
On the back of the Oguri Cap statue, there's an Oguri ema board — a place to hang wooden prayer plaques.
Looking closely, you'll find an ema drawn by Taiyō Kuzumi, the manga artist of Cinderella Gray — a real treat for fans.
The grounds were full of evidence that Umamusume fans make the pilgrimage here regularly.
This is a racecourse worth visiting at least once if you're a horse racing fan or an Umamusume fan. Kasamatsu Racecourse — highly recommended.