After nearly two years under renovation, the new Hakodate Racecourse slated its grand opening for Saturday, June 19, right on time for the first day of racing at the southern Hokkaido venue.

With the new stand built around the themes of “bringing people and horses closer” and “the wide-open feeling of a resort,” the new Hakodate venue Is sure to attract a wide variety of people, longtime racing fans as well as those new to the sport.

The glass-enclosed seats surrounding the pre-parade ring also offer an impressive front-seat view of the races, thanks to the huge television screen situated in the ring. Fans can experience the thrill of on-site racing while escaping the summer heat or inclement weather.

The pre-parade ring features a “dugout” room enclosed by glass where the legs of the passing horses are at eye level with the fans. A “hanamichi” walkway leading from the pre-parade ring takes its name from Kabuki theater and the runways extending from the stage out into the audience. Unlike other tracks, where the horses disappear from view into tunnels leading onto the racetrack, at Hakodate, they will walk from the pre-parade ring, pass close by the fans along the hanamichi and make their way onto the “stage” of the racecourse.

In addition to a variety of reserved seating options including tatami matting and group seating, the free-seating areas offer a place in the sun on the cool grass of the lawn in addition to the colorful seats in the grandstand.

The grandstand interior is a relaxing combination of red brick and wood aimed at giving visitors the rustic feel of the Hokkaido wilderness. On clear days, a view of the Tsugaru Strait separating Hokkaido from the main island of the Japan archipelago can be enjoyed from the grandstand rooftop observation deck.

The venue renovation was completed in two steps, with the first step, the opening of the outdoor seating and infield “green plaza” already opened to the public last month on May 15.

The Hakodate racetrack, Japan’s oldest racecourse, was established in 1896. The track is located a 20-minute bus or streetcar ride from the main station of the port city of Hakodate, which boasts one of the world’s finest night views from atop the 334-meter high Mt. Hakodate looking out over the city spread over the Kameda Peninsula.

One of two JRA courses on the northern island of Hokkaido in addition to Sapporo Racecourse, Hakodate’s turf and dirt tracks are both run to the right, with a flat homestretch and a 3-meter high slope along the backstretch. The turf courses are just over a mile long, the dirt course just under 1,500 meters. Summer racing is especially enjoyed for its 2-year-old debut races as fans track the emerging stars for the following years classic races.

Hakodate Racing is scheduled from now through Aug. 8. Sunday, June 20, is a “free pass day” at the races, with free admission to the Hakodate Racecourse. Retired champions will also be making visits to Hakodate during the summer. Mejiro Ryan is slated for a July 4 appearance, Winning Ticket and Biwa Hayahide on July 25 and Mihono Bourbon on Aug. 8