Why are Ponies unknown in Japan?

Another popular Japanese breed is Hokkaidō washu (北海道和種), more commonly known as Dosanko (道産子). It is said that the Dosanko were brought to Hokkaidō by fishermen from Honshū during the Edo period (1600–1867). read more

Another horse breed believed to be indigenous to Japan is Tokara uma (トカラ馬), raised in the Tokara Islands, a chain of Island in Kagoshima. They are known for their tolerance to heat and have been used for agriculture, conveyance and sugar cane squeezing. The pony were found in 1952 by Shigeyuki Hayashida, a professor of Kagoshima University. read more

There is a total of eight horse breeds native to Japan, and although all of them are ponies, they played an important role in the Japanese history, being used for work, pleasure, and in combat. Unfortunately, all of the breeds are very rare, and if not for the many recently formed organizations fighting for their survival, some of them would already be extinct. read more