Horse Pulls Newlyweds in Hokkaido Ceremonies; Carriage Conveys Couples to Town’s Local Festival

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:33 JST, August 13, 2025

URAKAWA, Hokkaido — Two newlywed couples enjoyed rides in a horse-drawn carriage in wedding ceremonies at a farm in Urakawa, Hokkaido, on July 26. Many townspeople celebrated the brides and grooms at the Hidaka Training and Research Center of the Japan Racing Association (JRA).

With the cooperation of the JRA, the weddings with horse-drawn carriage rides are offered for couples every year in the town, known as a leading racehorse breeding area.

JRA horse Beau Dancer, adorned with decorations on its mane, gently carried two pairs of newlyweds in a carriage to a local festival. The couples, one from Osaka City and the other from Chiba Prefecture, were selected from many applicants for the special ceremony.

Each of the couples then exchanged rings on a stage. “It is a great honor to be celebrated in a wedding using a horse-drawn carriage in this horse-breeding region,” said one of the grooms, a company employee from Osaka’s Kita Ward.