Horses around the world
Stephanie Anthony discovers more about this wild, ancient, native Japanese breed
The Misaki Horse of Japan
THE MISAKI, OR Misaki-uma, is a rare Japanese breed of horse — one of eight breeds native to Japan. Misaki horses can be found in the wild, grazing in meadows along Cape Toi (‘Toimisaki’ in Japanese) in Japan’s Kyushu region. The horses are a popular draw for tourists in Kyushu — so much so that the Misaki and the area in which they live were declared a Japanese ‘National Treasure’ in 1953. Like the other native horse breeds in Japan, the ancestors of the Misaki were brought over from various parts of the Asian mainland, with the first equine imports thought to date back to the 6th century. They were traditionally used for farming, as pack animals and also for warfare.
Despite their small size, Misaki are strong and are considered a horse rather than a pony because of their characteristics and proportions.
Today the wild Misaki live with very little human interference and still possess the physical characteristics of their Mongolian ancestors. A genetic study of Japanese and Mongolian horse breeds undertaken in 2003 found the Misaki to be most closely related to three other breeds found in Japan — the Noma, Tokara and Yonaguni.
The breed was first identified in an historical record in 1697 when the Akizuki family of the Takanabe Clan rounded up feral horses and developed a pool of breeding stock. Despite their long history, only about 100 individuals remain, following a dramatic drop in population at the end of World War II. However, due to its ancient bloodlines and boost to tourism, the breed is currently enjoying a new period of peace and numbers are increasing.