Japan Cup 2017: Here’s What You Need to Know

The Japan Cup is one of the biggest days of horse racing in the country. It is held in Tokyo.

The Japan Cup is taking place at Tokyo Racecourse. The Keio Line train goes there from Shinjuku Station in 30 minutes. There is a general walk-up ticket for 200 yen or $1.77 at the gate.

Tokyo Racecourse is considered Japan's premier horse racing course. Course attendance on race day the last three years was 109,956 (2014), 102,960 (2015), and 88,865 (2016). The dip last year was attributed to rain. This year's attendance is expected to exceed 100,000.

Kitasan Black is the reigning Horse of the Year in Japan. Kitasans is trying to become the second horse to win the Japan Cup back-to-back. Gentildonna became the first horse in history to do that in 2012.

The Japan Racing Association Racing Museum opened inside Tokyo Racecourse in 1991. It is free to visit for paying racegoers. The museum features the Memorial Hall, three permanent exhibition rooms, a gallery for special themed exhibitions and participatory display facilities.

Deep Impact is the best-selling stuffed animal of a racing horse in Japan. He won the 2006 Japan Cup and was inducted into the Japanese Racing Association Hall of Fame in 2008. He is currently Japan’s leading stallion and the sire of Gentildonna.

Horse racing is one of only four things that can be legally bet on in Japan. Last year, people wagered more than $179 million on the Japan Cup alone.