Howdy! I’m Ethan, an intern from Texas. During my 6 month internship in Japan, many of my friends back home and here in Japan often ask me the same question: “Do you ever get homesick?” The short answer is “No.” While I do miss my family and friends, my grandpa’s old diesel truck, and my barbeque grill, I have found some things here in Japan that give me a taste of home.
The first of which is horse racing in Japan. Now I have never been to a horse race in America, but my grandmother often talked about watching the Kentucky Derby on television and how she wanted to go to see the race some day. My grandparents live in the rural ranchlands of Texas, so sightings of horses, cattle, and other animals was a common occurrence for me while growing up. These two things were enough to plant the seed of interest to start attending horse races, but one question remained: “Where should I go to watch the races?” The answer to this question came about by accident. One day, my friends and I wanted to check out the Tokyo City Flea Market. When we stepped foot outside the station, one friend made the comment, “It smells like a horse stable out here,” and that’s when I first spotted it, a white horse poking its head out of the stable doors. We had accidentally come across Oi Racecourse, where I have since spent a handful of my Wednesday nights captivated by the prancing horses as they warm up for a race, the sandy dirt being kicked up into the air as the race horses gallop down the track, and the roar of the crowd’s cheering when the horse they bet on is winning, and the moans of despair when their horse is losing. I was fortunate enough to make it to the Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse last November, where a crowd of over 77,000 people had packed the stadium for the final race of the day. The energy and excitement at the moment the horses raced across the finish line reminded me of the American Football games held at the stadium of my college, Texas A&M University, which frequently sees crowds of over 100,000 students and fans. While the two sports are very different from each other, I am glad to have found a unique experience in Japan that reminds me of something I enjoyed at home.
One recommendation sent to me by many of my friends in Texas is a bar with a Texan twist. This bar called “Little Texas” was exactly that; covered floor to ceiling with signs from different universities in Texas (including my beloved Texas A&M, WHOOP!), merchandise from Texas chain stores like Buc-ee’s and HEB, vintage advertisement signs, Dollar bills signed by travelers from across Texas, and CRT televisions that buzzed while showing recordings of rodeos. But this bar didn’t just have the look of Texas, it had the taste and sounds too. The menu was filled with Texas steaks, hot dogs from different cities, french fries with all the best Texan toppings, and even a stack of onion rings that resembled a tornado. When I saw my favorite food on the menu, I knew I had come to the right place. The Texas Fried Steak with gravy, toast, and coleslaw had lived up to my dreams, but even that meal wasn’t my favorite part of the bar. The live country music is what really made this small bar feel just like my home in Texas. On the night I went, a band that called themselves “The HonkyTokyo”, which is a play on words “Honky-Tonk” meaning a type of bar that plays country music for entertainment, was performing. Never would I have guessed that a small Japanese band would play all of my favorite country songs in a small bar in Tokyo, but the only other thing that was even harder to believe was seeing so many of the other bar patrons Line Dancing. It is a little embarrassing for me to say this, but even with my years of attending different dance halls in Texas and even learning a Line Dance in middle-school, I have never gotten good at Line Dancing. You would think it would be the Texas boy teaching others at the bar how to line dance, but in fact it was the opposite. A kind man had taken me under his wing as his student to teach me the basics of the Electric Slide. Even though we were from different sides of the world and spoke different languages, we bonded over the love of Texas music and dance. By the end of the night, I was helping to lead others on the dancefloor while we performed the Electric Slide while the band played. Needless to say, I will be back for more music, dancing, and food.
When you hear the word “Cowboy”, usually you think of someone riding a horse, so I wouldn’t be much of a Cowboy without a horse by my side. Luckily, I found the solution, or I should say the solution found me. While going through my mailbox one day, I found a flyer for horseback riding lessons in Tokyo! At the time of writing, I have yet to attend any horseback riding lessons here in Japan, but I look forward to taking a weekend with more horses. I am currently planning a trip to Hokkaido with a friend where we will visit some of the famous horse ranches that offer visitation for retired race horses, horseback riding lessons, and many more attractions. I can’t wait to make some four-legged friends in Japan!
Paired with my well-worn cowboy boots and matching hat that has seen more dust, rain, and sun than anything else, Wrangler jeans with wear marks along the seams and imprints of my phone and wallet in the pockets, and my pearl-snap shirts, I was able to feel right at home even in Japan’s biggest city with these activities. To any fellow Texans who are feeling homesick, or to anyone adventurous enough to get a taste of the Wild West, please do check out these locations!
