List of Japanese flat horse races

This is a list of notable flat horse races held annually in Japan.

Overview

With the exception of the Tokyo Daishōten, all graded races, including every race currently designated as Grade 1, 2, or 3, are organized by the Japan Racing Association (JRA). ^[1] In Japanese, these prestigious events are known as 重賞 (Jyūshō), which translates literally to “Big race”. ^[2]

List (JRA)

Grade 1

Month	Race Name	Racecourse	Dist. (m)	Age/Sex	2026 winner (2025 winner in italics)	2025 win prize
February	February Stakes	Tokyo (dirt) [a]	1,600	4yo+	Costa Nova	¥120,000,000
March	Takamatsunomiya Kinen	Chukyo [b] [c] [d]	1,200	4yo+	Satono Reve	¥170,000,000
March	Ōsaka Hai	Hanshin [e] [f]	2,000	4yo+	Bellagio Opera	¥300,000,000
April	Oka Sho	Hanshin [e] [f] [g]	1,600	3yo f	Embroidery	¥140,000,000
April	Satsuki Shō	Nakayama [h] [i] [j]	2,000	3yo c&f, no g	Museum Mile	¥200,000,000
April	Tenno Sho (spring)	Kyoto [k] [l]	3,200	4yo+	Redentor	¥300,000,000
May	NHK Mile Cup	Tokyo	1,600	3yo c&f, no g	Panja Tower	¥130,000,000
May	Victoria Mile	Tokyo	1,600	4yo+ f	Ascoli Piceno	¥130,000,000
May	Yushun Himba	Tokyo [m] [n]	2,400	3yo f	Kamunyak	¥150,000,000
May	Tōkyō Yūshun	Tokyo [o]	2,400	3yo c&f, no g	Croix du Nord	¥300,000,000
June	Yasuda Kinen	Tokyo [p]	1,600	3yo+	Jantar Mantar	¥180,000,000
June	Takarazuka Kinen	Hanshin [f] [q] [r] [s]	2,200	3yo+	Meisho Tabaru	¥300,000,000
September	Sprinters Stakes	Nakayama [t] [u] [v]	1,200	3yo+	Win Carnelian	¥170,000,000
October	Shūka Sho	Kyoto [l]	2,000	3yo f	Embroidery	¥110,000,000
October	Kikuka-shō	Kyoto [l]	3,000	3yo c&f, no g	Energico	¥200,000,000
October	Tenno Sho (autumn)	Tokyo [p] [w]	2,000	3yo+	Masquerade Ball	¥300,000,000
November	Queen Elizabeth II Cup	Kyoto [b] [x]	2,200	3yo+ f	Regaleira	¥130,000,000
November	Mile Championship	Kyoto [x]	1,600	3yo+	Jantar Mantar	¥180,000,000
November	Japan Cup	Tokyo [w]	2,400	3yo+	Calandagan	¥500,000,000
December	Champions Cup	Chukyo (dirt) [y] [z] [aa]	1,800	3yo+	W Heart Bond	¥120,000,000
December	Hanshin Juvenile Fillies	Hanshin [ab] ac	1,600	2yo f	Star Anise	¥65,000,000
December	Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes	Hanshin [ad]	1,600	2yo c&f, no g	Cavallerizzo	¥70,000,000
December	Arima Kinen	Nakayama	2,500	3yo+ c&f	Museum Mile	¥500,000,000
December	Hopeful Stakes	Nakayama [ae] [af]	2,000	2yo c&f, no g	Lovcen	¥70,000,000

Grade 2

Month	Race Name	Racecourse	Dist. (m)	Age/Sex	2026 winner (2025 winner in italics)
January	Nikkei Shinshun Hai	Kyoto	2,400	4yo+	Goltzschtal
January	American Jockey Club Cup	Nakayama	2,200	4yo+	Danon Decile
January	Procyon Stakes	Chukyo (dirt)	1,800	4yo+	Sunday Funday
February	Kyoto Kinen	Kyoto	2,200	4yo+	Yoho Lake
February	Nakayama Kinen	Nakayama	1,800	4yo+	Sixpence
March	Tulip Sho	Hanshin	1,600	3yo f	Kurino Mei
March	Yayoi Sho	Nakayama	2,000	3yo	Faust Rasen
March	Fillies' Revue	Hanshin	1,400	3yo f	Shonan Xanadu
March	Kinko Sho	Chukyo	2,000	4yo+	Queen's Walk
March	Spring Stakes	Nakayama	1,800	3yo c&f	Piko Chan Black
March	Hanshin Daishoten	Hanshin	3,000	4yo+	Sunrise Earth
March	Nikkei Sho	Nakayama	2,500	4yo+	Meiner Emperor
April	New Zealand Trophy	Nakayama	1,600	3yo c&f	Immigrant Song
April	Hanshin Himba Stakes	Hanshin	1,600	4yo+ f	Safira
April	Flora Stakes	Tokyo	2,000	3yo f	Kamunyak
April	Yomiuri Milers Cup	Kyoto	1,600	4yo+	Long Run
April	Aoba Sho	Tokyo	2,400	3yo	Energico
May	Kyoto Shimbun Hai	Kyoto	2,200	3yo	Shohei
May	Keio Hai Spring Cup	Tokyo	1,400	4yo+	Toshin Macau
May	Meguro Kinen	Tokyo	2,500	4yo+	Admire Terra
August	Sapporo Kinen	Sapporo	2,000	3yo+	Top Knife
September	Shion Stakes	Nakayama	2,000	3yo f	Kelly Fled Ask
September	Centaur Stakes	Hanshin	1,200	3yo+	Kangchenjunga
September	Rose Stakes	Hanshin	1,800	3yo f	Kamunyak
September	St Lite Kinen	Nakayama	2,200	3yo	Museum Mile
September	Sankei Sho All Comers	Nakayama	2,200	3yo+	Regaleira
September	Kobe Shimbun Hai	Hanshin	2,400	3yo c&f	Eri King
October	Mainichi Okan	Tokyo	1,800	3yo+	Lebensstil
October	Kyoto Daishoten	Kyoto	2,400	3yo+	Deep Monster
October	Ireland Trophy	Tokyo	1,800	3yo+ f	Lavanda
October	Fuji Stakes	Tokyo	1,600	3yo+	Gaia Force
October	Swan Stakes	Kyoto	1,400	3yo+	Off Trail
November	Keio Hai Nisai Stakes	Tokyo	1,400	2yo	Diamond Knot
November	Copa Republica Argentina	Tokyo	2,500	3yo+	Mystery Way
November	Daily Hai Nisai Stakes	Kyoto	1,600	2yo	Admire Quads
November	Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes	Tokyo	1,800	2yo	Peintre Naif
November	Stayers Stakes	Nakayama	3,600	3yo+	Hohelied
December	Hanshin Cup	Hanshin	1,400	3yo+	Lugal

Grade 3

Month	Race Name	Racecourse	Dist. (m)	Age/Sex	2026 winner (2025 winner in italics)
January	Nakayama Kimpai	Nakayama	2,000	4yo+	Kalamatianos
January	Kyoto Kimpai	Kyoto	1,600	4yo+	Buena Onda
January	Fairy Stakes	Nakayama	1,600	3yo f	Black Chalice
January	Shinzan Kinen	Kyoto	1,600	3yo	Thunderstruck
January	Keisei Hai	Nakayama	2,000	3yo	Green Energy
January	Kokura Himba Stakes	Kokura	2,000	4yo+ f	Verehrung & Scintillation
January	Negishi Stakes	Tokyo (dirt)	1,400	4yo+	Costa Nova
January	Silk Road Stakes	Kyoto	1,200	4yo+	A Shin Fencer
February	Tokyo Shimbun Hai	Tokyo	1,600	4yo+	Water Licht
February	Kisaragi Sho	Kyoto	1,800	3yo	Satono Shining
February	Daily Hai Queen Cup	Tokyo	1,600	3yo f	Embroidery
February	Tokinominoru Kinen	Tokyo	1,800	3yo	Masquerade Ball
February	Diamond Stakes	Tokyo	3,400	4yo+	Redentor
February	Kokura Daishoten	Kokura	1,800	4yo+	Long Run
February	Hankyu Hai	Hanshin	1,400	4yo+	Kanchenjunga
March	Aichi Hai	Chukyo	1,400	4yo+ f	Wide Latour
March	Ocean Stakes	Nakayama	1,200	4yo+	Mama Cocha
March	Nakayama Himba Stakes	Nakayama	1,800	4yo+ f	Shirankedo
March	Flower Cup	Nakayama	1,800	3yo f	Lesedrama
March	Falcon Stakes	Chukyo	1,400	3yo	Yankee Barows
March	Mainichi Hai	Hanshin	1,800	3yo	Fandom
March	March Stakes	Nakayama (dirt)	1,800	4yo+	Brian Sense
March	Lord Derby Challenge Trophy	Nakayama	1,600	4yo+	Trovatore
April	Churchill Downs Cup	Hanshin	1,600	3yo	Lance of Chaos
April	Antares Stakes	Hanshin (dirt)	1,800	4yo+	Mikki Fight
April	Fukushima Himba Stakes	Fukushima	1,800	4yo+ f	Admire Matsuri
April	Niigata Daishoten	Niigata	2,000	4yo+	Sirius Colt
April	Unicorn Stakes	Kyoto (dirt)	1,900	3yo	Canal Beagle
May	Heian Stakes	Kyoto (dirt)	1,900	4yo+	Outrange
May	Aoi Stakes	Kyoto	1,200	3yo	Abu Qir Bay
June	Epsom Cup	Tokyo	1,800	3yo+	Seiun Hades
June	Fuchu Himba Stakes	Tokyo	1,800	3yo+ f	Sekitoba East
June	Hakodate Sprint Stakes	Hakodate	1,200	3yo+	Ka Pilina
June	Radio Nikkei Sho	Fukushima	1,800	3yo	Excite Bio
June	Kitakyushu Kinen	Kokura	1,200	3yo+	Yamanin Al Rihla
June	Shirasagi Stakes	Hanshin	1,600	3yo+	Keep Calm
July	Tanabata Sho	Fukushima	2,000	3yo+	Cosmo Fliegen
July	Tokai Stakes	Chukyo (dirt)	1,400	3yo+	Yamanin Ours
July	Hakodate Kinen	Hakodate	2,000	3yo+	Veloce Era
July	Chukyo Kinen	Chukyo	1,600	3yo+	Ma Puce
July	Hakodate Nisai Stakes	Hakodate	1,200	2yo	A Shin Deed
July	Ibis Summer Dash	Niigata	1,000	3yo+	Puro Magic
July	Queen Stakes	Sapporo	1,800	3yo+ f	Argine
August	Leopard Stakes	Niigata (dirt)	1,800	3yo	Don In The Mood
August	Kokura Kinen	Kokura	2,000	3yo+	England Eyes
August	Sekiya Kinen	Niigata	1,600	3yo+	Kana Tape
August	CBC Sho	Chukyo	1,200	3yo+	Invincible Papa
August	Elm Stakes	Sapporo (dirt)	1,700	3yo+	Perriere
August	Niigata Nisai Stakes	Niigata	1,600	2yo	Realize Sirius
August	Keeneland Cup	Sapporo	1,200	3yo+	Panja Tower
August	Sapporo Nisai Stakes	Sapporo	1,800	2yo	Shonan Gulf
August	Chukyo Nisai Stakes	Chukyo	1,400	2yo	Candide
September	Niigata Kinen	Niigata	2,000	3yo+	Shirankedo
September	Keisei Hai Autumn Handicap	Nakayama	1,600	3yo+	Ho O Las Cases
September	Challenge Cup	Hanshin	2,000	3yo+	Allnatt
September	Sirius Stakes	Hanshin (dirt)	2,000	3yo+	Ho O Roulette
October	Saudi Arabia Royal Cup	Tokyo	1,600	2yo	Ecoro Alba
October	Artemis Stakes	Tokyo	1,600	2yo f	Firostefani
November	Fantasy Stakes	Kyoto	1,400	2yo f	Festival Hill
November	Miyako Stakes	Kyoto (dirt)	1,800	3yo+	W Heart Bond
November	Musashino Stakes	Tokyo (dirt)	1,600	3yo+	Luxor Cafe
November	Fukushima Kinen	Fukushima	2,000	3yo+	Nishino Ti Amo
November	Kyoto Nisai Stakes	Kyoto	2,000	2yo	Justin Vista
November	Keihan Hai	Kyoto	1,200	3yo+	A T Makfi
December	Naruo Kinen	Hanshin	1,800	3yo+	David Barows
December	Chunichi Shimbun Hai	Chukyo	2,000	3yo+	Shake Your Heart
December	Capella Stakes	Nakayama (dirt)	1,200	3yo+	T O Elvis
December	Turquoise Stakes	Nakayama	1,600	3yo+ f	Drop of Light

Listed

From 2019, Japan Racing Association introduced new "Listed" category, prize value is higher than normal open race.

Month	Race Name	Racecourse	Dist. (m)	Age/Sex	2026 winner (2025 winner in italics)
January	Junior Cup	Nakayama	1,600	3yo	Resort Island
January	Kobai Stakes	Kyoto	1,400	3yof	Lily Joie
January	New Year Stakes	Nakayama	1,600	4yo+	Ka Pilina
January	Yodo Dankyori Stakes	Kyoto	1,200	4yo+	Yabusame
January	Wakagoma Stakes	Kyoto	2,000	3yo
January	Subaru Stakes	Kyoto	1,400	4yo+	Kitano's Edge
January	Crocus Stakes	Tokyo	1,400	3yo
January	Shirafuji Stakes	Tokyo	2,000	4yo+
February	Rakuyo Stakes	Kyoto	1,600	4yo+
February	Hyacinth Stakes	Tokyo	1,600	3yo
February/March	Niigawa Stakes	Hanshin	2,000	4yo+
February/March	Sumire Stakes	Hanshin	2,200	3yo
March	Osaka Jo Stakes	Hanshin	1,800	3yo
March	Anemone Stakes	Nakayama	1,600	3yo
April	Wasurerunagusa Sho	Hanshin	2,000	3yof
April/May	Swept Pea Stakes	Tokyo	1,800	3yof
May	Principal Stakes	Tokyo	2,000	3yo
May	Shirayuri Stakes	Kyoto	1,800	3yo
July/August	Sapporo Nikkei Open	Sapporo	2,600	3yo+
August	Cluster Cup	Morioka	1,200	3yo+
September/October	Port Island Stakes	Hanshin	1,600	3yo+
October	Opal Sprint Stakes	Kyoto	1,200	3yo+
October	Green Channel Stakes	Tokyo	1,400	3yo+
October	October Stakes	Tokyo	2,000	3yo+
October	Shinetsu Stakes	Niigata	1,400	3yo+
October	Ivy Stakes	Tokyo	1,800	2yo
October	Lumiere Autumn Dash	Niigata	1,000	3yo+
October	Brazil Cup	Tokyo	2,100	3yo+
October	Hagi Stakes	Kyoto	1,800	2yo
November	Capital Stakes	Tokyo	1,600	3yo+
December	December Stakes	Nakayama	1,800	3yo+

Other Open Races

Month	Race Name	Racecourse	Dist. (m)	Age/Sex
January	Manyo Stakes	Kyoto	3,000	4yo+
January	January Stakes	Nakayama	1,200	4yo+
February	Kinpai	Ohi	2,600	4yo
March	Fukuryu Stakes	Nakayama (dirt)	1,800	3yo
May	Keyaki Stakes	Tokyo (dirt)	1,400	4yo+
August	Takeyoriwake Sho	Kochi	1,400	3yo+
August	Himawari Sho	Kokura	1,200	2yo Kyushu bred
November	Cattleya Stakes	Tokyo (dirt)	1,600	2yo

List (NAR)

Many are listed race in international, but some are not. ^[3]

Grade 1

Month	Race Name	Racecourse	Dist. (m)	Age/Sex	2026 winner (2025 winner in italics)	2025 win prize
December	Tokyo Daishōten	Ohi	2,000	3yo+	Diktaean	¥100,000,000

JpnI

Month	Race Name	Racecourse	Dist. (m)	Age/Sex	2026 winner (2025 winner in italics)	2025 win prize
April	Kawasaki Kinen	Kawasaki	2,100	4yo+	Meisho Hario	¥100,000,000
April	Haneda Hai	Ohi	1,800	3yo	Natural Rise	¥50,000,000
May	Kashiwa Kinen	Funabashi	1,600	4yo+	Shamal	¥80,000,000
June	Tokyo Derby	Ohi	2,000	3yo	Natural Rise	¥100,000,000
June	Sakitama Hai	Urawa	1,400	3yo+	Shamal	¥80,000,000
June	Teio Sho	Ohi	2,000	4yo+	Mikki Fight	¥80,000,000
October	Japan Dirt Classic	Ohi	2,000	3yo	Narukami	¥70,000,000
October	Mile Championship Nambu Hai	Morioka	1,600	3yo+	Wilson Tesoro	¥80,000,000
November	Japan Breeding Farm's Cup Ladies' Classic	Various	1,800	3yo+f	Ammothyella	¥60,000,000
November	Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Sprint	Various	1,200	3yo+	Fern Hill	¥80,000,000
November	Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Classic	Various	2,000	3yo+	Mikki Fight	¥100,000,000
December	Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun	Kawasaki	1,600	2yo	Pyromancer	¥42,000,000

JpnII

Month	Race Name	Racecourse	Dist. (m)	Age/Sex
March	Diolite Kinen	Funabashi	2,400	4yo+
March	Keihin Hai	Ohi	1,700	3yo
April	Hyogo Championship	Sonoda	1,400	3yo
May	Nagoya Grand Prix	Nagoya	2,100	4yo+
May	Empress Hai	Kawasaki	2,100	4yo+ f
June	Kanto Oaks	Kawasaki	2,100	3yo f
September	Furukata Award	Morioka	2,000	3yo
October	Nippon TV Hai	Funabashi	1,800	3yo+
October	Ladies' Prelude	Ohi	1,800	3yo+f
October	Tokyo Hai	Ohi	1,200	3yo+
November	Urawa Kinen	Urawa Kinen	2,000	3yo+
November	Hyogo Junior Grand Prix	Sonoda	1,400	2yo

JpnIII

Month	Race Name	Racecourse	Dist. (m)	Age/Sex
January	Bluebird Cup	Funabashi	1,800	3yo
February	Queen's Award	Funabashi	1,800	4yo+ f
February	Saga Kinen	Saga	2,000	4yo+
February	Kumotori Award	Oi	1,800	3yo
February	Iris Memorial	Nagoya	1,500	4yo+
March	Kurofune Award	Kochi	1,400	4yo+
April	Hyogo Queen Cup	Sonoda	1,870	4yo+ f
April	Tokyo Sprint	Oi	1,200	4yo+
July	Sparking Lady Cup	Kawasaki	1,600	3yo+ f
July	Mercury Cup	Morioka	2,000	3yo+
August	Cluster Cup	Morioka	1,200	3yo+
August	Hokkaido Sprint Cup	Monbetsu	1,200	3yo
August	Breeders' Gold Cup	Monbetsu	2,000	3yo+ f
August	Summer Champion	Saga	1,400	3yo+
September	Oval Sprint	Urawa	1,400	3yo+
September	Hakusan Daishoten	Kanazawa	2,100	3yo+
September	Marine Cup	Funabashi	1.800	3yo f
October	Edelweiss Award	Monbetsu	1,200	2yo f
November	JBC Two-Year-Old Championship	Monbetsu	1,800	2yo
December	Nagoya Daishoten	Nagoya	2,000	3yo+
December	Hyogo Gold Trophy	Sonoda	1,400	3yo+

Former race

Last run	Race Name	Racecourse	Dist. (m)	Age/Sex
Mar 1993	Pegasus Stakes	Hanshin	1,600	3yo
March 2005	Crystal Cup	Nakayama	1,200	3yo
April 2004	Kabutoyama Kinen	Fukushima	1,800	4yo+ sire domestic bred
May 1999	Kyoto Yonsai Tokubetsu	Kyoto	2,000	3yo
Sep 1993	Sapphire Stakes	Hanshin	1,800	3yof
October 1975	Victoria Cup	Kyoto	2,400	3yof

Notes

^a The 2003 running took place at Nakayama while Tokyo Racecourse was closed for redevelopment.

^b The 1979 running took place at Hanshin.

^c The 1993 running took place at Kyoto.

^d The 2011 running took place at Hanshin while Chukyo was closed for redevelopment.

^e The 1991 running took place at Kyoto while Hanshin was closed for redevelopment.

^f The 1995 running took place at Kyoto while Hanshin was closed due to 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake.

^g The 1939-1943 runnings took place at Nakayama, the 1944 running took place at Tokyo and the 1947, 1948 and 1949 runnings took place at Kyoto as Hanshin's construction was completed only in 1949.

^h The 1939-1942 runnings took place at Yokohama.

ⁱ The 1943, 1944, 1947, 1948, 1956, 1963, 1964, 1974, 1976 and 1988 runnings took place at Tokyo.

^j The 2011 running took place at Tokyo while Nakayama was closed due to 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

^k The 1994 running took place at Hanshin.

^l The 2021 and 2022 runnings took place at Hanshin while Kyoto was closed for redevelopment.

^m The 1938-1942 runnings took place at Hanshin.

ⁿ The 1943 running took place at Kyoto.

^o The 1932 and 1933 runnings took place at Meguro.

^p The 1967 running took place at Nakayama.

^q The 1966, 1969, 1974 and 1976 runnings took place at Kyoto.

^r The 1980 running took place at Chukyo.

^s The 1991, 2006, and 2024 runnings took place at Kyoto while Hanshin was closed for redevelopment.

^t The 1980 running took place at Tokyo.

^u The 2002 running took place at Niigata.

^v The 2014 running took place at Niigata while Nakayama was closed for redevelopment.

^w The 2002 running took place at Nakayama while Tokyo was closed for redevelopment.

^x The 2020, 2021 and 2022 runnings took place at Hanshin while Kyoto was closed for redevelopment.

^y The 2000, 2001 and 2003-2007 runnings took place at Tokyo.

^z The 2002 running took place at Nakayama.

^aa The 2008-2012 runnings took place at Hanshin.

^ab The 1956 and 1980 runnings took place at Kyoto.

^ac The 1990 running took place at Kyoto while Hanshin was closed for redevelopment.

^ad The 1949-2013 runnings took place at Nakayama.

^ae The 1984-1989 and 1991-2013 runnings took place at Hanshin.

^af The 1990 running took place at Kyoto.

References

1. "List of JRA Graded Races 2019｜List of JRA Graded Races｜Horse Racing in Japan". Horse Racing in Japan.
2. "重賞, じゅうしょう, ちょうしょう, jūshō, chōshō". Nihongo Master. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
3. "Principal Races by Local Governments in 2024｜Racing by Local Governments". Racing by Local Governments.