Fuchu City is home to the Tokyo Racecourse, which was established in 1933. The racecourse is owned by the Japan Racing Association and has a seating capacity of 13,750, although it can hold up to 223,000 people. The highest attendance on record was in 1990, where 196,517 people attended on May 27th.
The grass course runs 2083m while the dirt course measures 1899m. There is a jump course that goes 1675m. There was also a track that was used for the 3200m races but is no longer in use since the race distance was reduced to 2000m.
The Tokyo racecourse hosts quite a number of major races; the Japan Cup, the Tenno Sho, the February Stakes, the Tokyo Yushun, the Victoria Mile, the Yasuda Kinen, the NHK Mile Cup and the Yushun Himba. These are all Grade 1 races, apart from the Yasuda Kinen, which is included in the Asian Mile Challenge. The Tokyo Yushun and Japan Cup are also part of the Japanese Derby. There are also Grade II, Grade III and Steeplechase races ran on the course.
Renovation works that took seven years to complete not only saw the addition of the ’emorial 60’ box seat and the upgrading of the ‘Fuji View Stand’ in 2007 but it also added a major item; an 8,066 square foot screen, the largest in the world at the time. Kansas City has since outdone it though, with an 8,736 square foot screen at Kauffman Stadium.
The Tokyo Racecourse is not an easy run, what with its wide curves and long sides. It is a demanding course, which is probably why it is unofficially known as the racecourse of racecourses.’
A day at the racecourse is not just about horses and betting. There are a number of activities on offer. There is lots of food and beer and the children even have an area where they can play and have fun. It is a family affair at the races.