Organizers of age-old horse festivals that captivate the public with daring deeds are increasingly locked in a contentious battle between tradition and animal rights.

Activists are pushing for changes in the way animals are treated. Specifically, they object to the frequency and harshness of whippings during the events and have filed a steady stream of criminal complaints against these and other practices.

This has left regional communities across Japan torn between preserving their traditions and meeting animal welfare requirements.

DIFFERENCE IN AWARENESS

For example, authorities in the town of Wakuya, northeastern Miyagi Prefecture, were stunned Jan. 21 when the prefectural police referred 10 individuals to prosecutors over alleged violations of animal protection laws regarding the Tohoku Banba horse race last spring.

An animal welfare group in Nagano Prefecture called LIA had filed a written complaint over the way riders repeatedly thrashed the sides and hindquarters of their mounts during the festival, a test of horsepower that involves the animals pulling weighted sleds.

The group said its intention was also to raise awareness among residents of what constitutes animal abuse.

“We always pay keen attention to the safety of the riders and the horses,” countered Wakuya Mayor Tokuo Endo in a statement issued on Jan. 27.

He pledged to make “further efforts to raise security awareness to ensure that both horse owners and spectators can fully enjoy the event.” 

The festival dates to before World War II and last year’s event marked the 74th time it has been held.

Endo said the town is committed to “passing down its deep-rooted horse culture to posterity.”

A town official said horse whippings could not be helped as the practice is “traditionally part of the race.” The official felt the latest protest was out of line because the competition’s rules were amended not long ago to prohibit riders from hitting their horses unnecessarily.

In addition, the official stressed that special whips had been distributed by the organizer to minimize the chance of inflicting pain on the animals.

Most of the riders facing possible criminal charges are hotly contesting the accusation of animal abuse, according to investigative sources.

However, one of the horse owners who watched the festival last year felt the use of riding crops during the event was “excessive” and called for the introduction of rigorous restrictions on the number of times horses are whipped.

In response to the police action, the festivity’s steering committee, which includes the town government, added a new rule: riders will be disqualified if they strike their horses with a whip or reins. 

The organizer told The Asahi Shimbun that this year’s festival scheduled for April 20 will likely be held under the new rule.

Similarly, a Shinto ritual known as “Ageuma Shinji” (Horse jumping festival) held annually at Tado Taisha shrine in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, led police to refer 12 participants to prosecutors last autumn over suspected breaches of the animal welfare law. The case centered on a horse that stumbled and broke its leg, forcing the owner to euthanize the animal in May 2023, which triggered public outrage.

The 700-year-old rite involves young riders hellbent on charging up a muddy earthen ramp and then forcing their horses to scale a 2-meter mud wall at the top. The ritual is designated by the prefectural government as an intangible folk-cultural property.

Responding to the criticism, Kuwana authorities removed the mud wall last year to reduce the risk of horses getting injured.

“We are committed to conserving the historic festival, even if it means changing the traditional style,” said a city official.

In another case, organizers ended up calling off an age-old event, after criminal charges were sought against an individual who hit his horse in the face with reins during the Tohoku Bariki horse race in Tono, Iwate Prefecture, in 2019.

The matter was referred to prosecutors in 2022 as a suspected case of animal abuse, but the person was not indicted for any crime in the end. 

Though the competition’s executive committee in 2023 revised its rules, eight participants in the race in June 2023 faced criminal complaints for hitting horses with their hands and reins.

As a result, the committee announced on Feb. 14 that it will cancel this year’s festival to “determine our course of action for the future.”

ART OF COMPROMISE

Tsuneo Sogawa, professor emeritus of anthropology at Waseda University in Tokyo who specializes in issues related to animal sports and welfare, noted that friction can arise with indigenous cultures when the international community tries to enforce its notions on animal rights.

He made the point that while bullfighting is generally forbidden in France, exceptions are made for certain traditional rites and rituals.

“Joint movements may be the only way to form a compromise between those who champion animal welfare and those intent on preserving traditions,” he said.

(This article was written by Ikuko Abe and Yosuke Fukudome.)