National Historic Site Shimousa Kogane Nakano Ranch Ruins (Tokkome) --- The Shimousa Kogane Nakano Ranch Ruins are one of the pastures the Tokugawa shogunate established in the Edo period to secure a steady supply of military horses. In the northwest of Chiba Prefecture stood Kogane Pasture, to the north Sakura Pasture, and to the south Mineoka Bokujo. Each pasture was further divided; Kogane Pasture comprised five ranches: Ueno-maki, Nakano-maki, Shimonomaki, Takadadai Pasture, and Inzai Pasture. Horses inside the ranches were allowed to roam freely and lived almost as wild animals, so they were called wild horses. Once a year, these wild horses were rounded up, captured, and sorted in an event called a noma-tori. The best horses were offered to the shogunate. The facility used for this roundup is called a tokkome, and one still survives in Higashinakazawa 2-chome, Kamagaya City. The tokkome consisted of three enclosures: the capture enclosure (tokkome) for driving and catching the wild horses, the holding enclosure (tamekome) for keeping three-year-old horses, and the release enclosure (haraikome) for returning horses other than three-year-olds to the pasture. The release enclosure remains largely in its original form. As the surrounding area urbanized, this site proved a valuable ruin for understanding the shogunate’s production of military horses. In February 2007 it became the first pasture site in the country to be designated a National Historic Site. To promote the name tokkome to a wider audience, the annual Spring Maki Horse Festival is held from April through June. The first event, the Tokkome Cherry Blossom Festival, takes place on Saturday, April 4, during the cherry blossom season at Kaigara-yama Park. On that day we offer guided on-site tours of the tokkome, which are not usually open to the public, along with a small exhibition about the ranch. You can also enjoy pony rides, a stamp rally, a quiz rally, food stalls, and many other booths. Please come and join us. We look forward to welcoming many visitors. Culture and Sports Division https://www.city.kamagaya.chiba.jp/kanko-bunka-sports/bunka/kunishiseki/harunomakiuma/index.html