is a horse-racing venue for Japan's central horse-racing circuit, located in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, with part of the grounds extending into Ichikawa. It is operated and administered by the Japan Racing Association, and is considered one of Japan's four major racecourses.
Among the Grade 1 races held at Nakayama are the Satsuki Shō, Sprinters Stakes, and the Arima Kinen. The racecourse is also the venue for the Nakayama Grand Jump and the Nakayama Daishogai, two of Japan's principal Steeplechase events.
Built in 1907, the venue can accommodate up to 165,676 spectators.
Physical attributes Nakayama Race Course has two grass courses, a dirt course and a jump course.
The turf's measures 1840m (1 1/8 miles + 97 feet) with 1600m and 2200m chutes, and the measures 1667m (1 mile + 189 feet) with a 1400m chute. Races can be run on the "A Course" rail setting (on the hedge), the "B Course" setting (rail out 3 meters), or the "C Course" setting (rail out 7 meters).
1000m, 1400m, 1800m, 2000m, 2500m and 3600m races run on the inner oval, while 1200m, 1600m, 2200m, 2600m and 4000m races run on the outer oval. 3200m races run on the outer oval first, then the inner oval.
The dirt course measures 1493 meters (7/8 mile + 278 feet), with a 1200m chute.
The jump course is unique because several different configurations can be used. In all races, horses must drop and climb over steep embankments at the rear of the course. One configuration contains the two most difficult jumps on the course, and is used only a few times a year, particularly for the Nakayama Grand Jump and Nakayama Daishogai races.
Notable races
MonthRaceDistanceAge/SexGrade IApr. Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) Turf 2000m 3yo c&fSep. / Oct. Sprinters Stakes Turf 1200m 3yo +Dec. Arima Kinen (Grand Prix) Turf 2500m 3yo +Dec. Hopeful Stakes Turf 2000m 2yo c&fGrade IIJan. American Jockey Club Cup Turf 2200m 4yo +Feb. / Mar. Nakayama Kinen Turf 1800m 4yo +Mar. Yayoi Sho (Satsuki Sho Trial)Turf 2000m 3yoMar. Spring Stakes (Satsuki Sho Trial)Turf 1800m 3yo c&fMar. Nikkei Sho (Tenno Sho Trial)Turf 2500m 4yo +Apr. New Zealand Trophy (NHK Mile Cup Trial)Turf 1600m 3yo c&fSep. Shion Stakes (Shuka Sho Trial)Turf 2000m 3yo fSep. St. Lite Kinen (Kikuka Sho Trial)Turf 2200m 3yoSep. All Comers (Tenno Sho Trial)Turf 2200m 3yo +Dec. Stayers Stakes Turf 3600m 3yo +Grade IIIJan. Nakayama Kimpai (Handicap)Turf 2000m 4yo +Jan. Fairy Stakes Turf 1600m 3yo fMar. Ocean Stakes (Takamatsunomiya Kinen Trial)Turf 1200m 4yo +Mar. Flower CupTurf 1800m 3yo fMar. Nakayama Himba Stakes (Handicap)Turf 1800m 4yo+ fMar. March Stakes (Handicap)Dirt 1800m 4yo +Apr. Lord Derby Challenge Trophy (Handicap)Turf 1600m 4yo +Sep. Keisei Hai Autumn Handicap (Handicap)Turf 1600m 3yo +Dec. Turquoise Stakes (Handicap)Turf 1600m 3yo+ fDec. Capella Stakes Dirt 1200m 3yo +J-Grade I (Steeplechase)Apr. Nakayama Grand Jump Turf 4250m 4yo +Dec. Nakayama Daishogai Turf 4100m 3yo +
Track records Source：レコードタイム表 (Record time table) -> 中山競馬場 (Nakayama Racecourse) † Reference Time. Last updated on June 20, 2026.
Turf course (2yo) DistanceTimeRacehorseSexWeightJockeyDate Recorded1200m1:07.2Ecoro SiegColt55 kgChristophe LemaireSeptember 21, 20241400m1:23.4Hisano MayaFilly53 kgSueo MasuzawaNovember 30, 19911600m1:32.4DenkmalColt56 kgChristophe LemaireDecember 14, 20241800m1:46.4Miyaji TaigaColt54 kgRyuji WadaSeptember 8, 20122000m1:58.2Sanono GreaterColt56 kgTakeshi YokoyamaDecember 6, 2025
Turf course (3yo+) DistanceTimeRacehorseSexWeightJockeyDate Recorded1200m1:06.7Lord KanaloaHorse 457 kgYasunari IwataSeptember 30, 20121400m1:23.2Lindo UFOColt 355 kgSueo MasuzawaApril 11, 19871600m1:30.3Trois EtoilesMare 452 kgNorihiro YokoyamaSeptember 8, 20191800m1:44.8SixpenceHorse 458kgChristophe LemaireMarch 7, 20252000m1:56.5LovcenColt 357kgKohei MatsuyamaApril 19th, 20262200m2:10.1Cosmo BulkColt 356 kgFuyuki IgarashiSeptember 19, 20042500m2:29.5Zenno Rob RoyHorse 457 kgOlivier PeslierDecember 26, 20042600m2:40.3Kikuno FlashHorse 456 kgMasamitsu TamuraDecember 2, 19843200m3:19.3Kiri SpurtMare 554 kgYukio OkabeApril 3, 19933600m3:41.6Air DublinColt 357.5 kgYukio OkabeDecember 10, 1994
Dirt course (2yo) DistanceTimeRacehorseSexWeightJockeyDate Recorded1000m59.4Sunny ShaverColt53 kgNaohiro OnishiSeptember 26, 19981200m1:10.2I Am RubyFilly54 kgMasami MatsuokaDecember 6, 20091800m1:51.9ToledoColt54 kgYukito IshikawaSeptember 24, 2022
Dirt course (3yo+) DistanceTimeRacehorseSexWeightJockeyDate Recorded1000m58.4Nishino GreenFilly 352 kgShigekatsu MoriyasuJuly 1, 19781200m1:08.4Hakodate BushoHorse 456 kgYukito IshikawaSeptember 24, 20221700m1:43.1ErfolgHorse 453 kgKazumi IijimaJune 27, 19761800m1:48.5Kiyo HidakaHorse 557 kgHiroyuki GoharaJanuary 6, 19832400m2:28.8Peach ShadaiHorse 656 kgTomio YasudaJanuary 6, 19832500m2:38.6Satono Top GunColt 355 kgHiroyuki UchidaDecember 12, 2009
References