Soma Noma Oi The Soma Wild Horse Chase Part 1

If you travel north from Tokyo, along the Pacific coast, you leave the great sprawl of the city for the rich, bright green of the rice fields and the misty blue mountains of the Tohoku area. This is the least developed part of the mainland, Honshu, with a character similar to that of Hokkaido, although less volcanic, and with fewer spectacular lakes.

Each year, from all over the prefecture of Fukushima, men of the old samurai families gather to show their prowess in the traditional skills of their ancestors for this region, Soma, is famous since ancient times for its strong horses and the men who ride them.

Soma Noma Oi takes place over three days from July 23-25, although preparation goes on all year round and in 1973, while visiting the family of my wife, Otani Tokuko, she took me to visit her cousin, Dr. Imamura Kunio, who ran his own private hospital in her home town of Odaka. Odaka was the castle town of the Soma Han (clan) and is the focal point for Noma Oi.

I had already done much training not only in Japanese martial arts but also in the English martial skills of horsemanship, archery and weapons with the English Mediaeval Society and she felt I would find her family’s involvement with Noma Oi as interesting as she had, for she had been brought up with it. I found Dr. Imamura’s knowledge fascinating and was amazed at the amount of arms and armour in his house. We got on so well that I was invited to take part, a great honour for which special permission had to be obtained both from Soma Jinja, the main shrine of the area, and from the government, as Noma Oi is officially recognized as an ‘Intangible Cultural Treasure of Japan’. I thus became the first outsider ever to take part in this 1,000 year old event which was originally conceived by the Head of the Soma Clan, Taira Masakado, as a method of collecting horses for battle and for training his cavalry – hard, tough men whose spirit continues even to present times.

SOMA HORSES

My introduction to Japanese horses came on the day before the festival when, after arriving in Odaka from Tokyo, I was taken to the house of Mr. Honda Nobuo, one of the Commanders of the Odaka Go Kiba Kai (Horse Association). Of an old samurai family and now a member of the medical profession he was also a horse breeder and was very generous in offering me one of his beautiful horses to ride for the three days.

There have always been horses in Japan and those in Soma are fine examples of hunters and racers. I chose the biggest hunter as it seemed logical for a larger horse to carry the weight better. I rode him in the fields beside the shrine, without saddle or stirrups, and he seemed ideal, strong but nimble although rather high spirited. He appeared to listen to my commands in Japanese and after a couple of hours I rode back to the stables. Like most horses, he wanted to try me out and while cleaning him he stood on my foot, causing a tremendous bruise which I could still feel two weeks later. Needless to say, he ignored my pained pleas to get off (in both Japanese and English) which caused great amusement among the onlookers! One day did not seem much time to get used to a completely strange horse in a foreign land but I had the impression that it was one of the ways in which they were testing my mettle.The rest of the day was taken up with meeting various government and shrine officials and some of the riders who were to take part the following days.

Next day, July 23rd, I was woken at 7am by the bright sun streaming through the paper screens of my room in our family’s huge farmhouse. It looked like being a good day. We drove into Odaka to the house of Dr. Imamura whose armour I was to wear and whose son, Satoshi, would accompany me in the three days’ riding.

After a light breakfast, we saddled up the horses, a process which needed four of us as it was soon obvious that they had got out of bed the wrong side and definitely didn't want to spend all day carrying a rider in armour with all his equipment. I could see their point for it was already hot and steamy. It is important to remember that for every rider there is a small army of family and helpers behind the scenes.

So, over the usual blanket goes the carved wooden saddle, from which hang the leather side flaps and heavy stirrups. These are the old platform type which 1 had never used before, but which proved to be far more comfortable and practical than the English type. The saddle itself is a typical military type made completely of wood, having a high pommel and cantle. The four parts are laced together with cord and mounted with metal rings from which hang the apron and rear skirt of knotted silk cord. The stirrups hang from leather straps with buckles. The narrow snaffle bit is mounted on a knotted bridle, the reins being of blue and white striped cotton cloth.

The horses finally being ready, we attired ourselves in the clothes of the feudal bushi. First, white cotton underwear trousers and jacket followed by white socks. Then, for me, a cream silk kimono with a blue obi and heavy brocade hakama of black and silver. Under these, tied onto the shins, go the leg-guards of quilted cotton covered with steel splints joined by mail of typical Japanese pattern. Round the head is a long white cotton hachimaki topped by a lacquered armoured hat tied firmly under the chin with a thick velvet rope. Finally, a cream jinbaori buttoned in front and, most important, our swords.

ODAKA SHRINE

At 8 am, after being interviewed by the local newspaper, I mounted up and rode over the river to the shrine where all the local riders were gathering. A big crowd was already waiting and I was surprised to be interviewed in Japanese by an American girl wearing a kimono, who turned out to be the NHK TV reporter. With the arrival of the mayor, Mr. Suzuki Juroji, who was also head of the Odaka Kiba Kai (Horse Association), the group was complete and the ceremony began. The riders gather in the shrine, with the other participants outside, and after the blowing of conch shell trumpets the priests conduct the Shinto religious purification of the riders and their horses. After a speech by the mayor I was formally introduced to the group. With his permission I replied in Japanese. It was quite a daunting experience! Finally, a cup of sake for everyone and we mounted up. We were off!

Out of the shrine and down the hill we rode, past the rice fields with their little houses, past groups of children and waving spectators to the bridge over the river where the procession begins. I was to be ninth, according to the printed programme, just in front of the mayor, each rider’s position depending on his rank and status. My position had me waiting on the bridge with a 30 foot drop to the river and the horse seemed determined to put me in it. I was equally determined to stay out of it. Forming up the parade takes a long time, with riders galloping up and down the road accompanied by lots of shouting. Finally, we moved off into the town which is a typical Japanese country town consisting of a main street and lots of fascinating little side streets.

GAIJIN!

Of course, foreigners are extremely rare in these parts so everyone had turned out to see the strange Englishman, the first foreigner ever to take part, doing such an unusual thing. Every few moments the conch shells trumpets are blown and the parade halts, a long line of white-robed priests, guilded wooden shrines, drums, children in armour, spear men, flag bearers and, of course, the samurai, all the ingredients of mediaeval Japan. During these stops everyone takes the opportunity to have their photograph taken with the riders and with the striking of the great drum the long procession moves off again along the main street to the railway station and than back again to the Jinja. Many of the children had never seen a foreigner and several times I heard giggling groups shout: ‘Gaijin, gaijin da’, (It’s a foreigner!).

But everybody smiles and waves and every now and again someone would rush out and offer a drink of beer or sake to assuage our thirst, the horse included, as the temperature was now over 30°C. The parade finished up back at the river, after which we all went home for lunch. In the afternoon we drove over to the main town, Haramachi, to watch the horse racing. Haramachi is the county town and therefore much larger than Odaka. It, too, has a long curved main street which runs from the station to the race course, Hibari ga Hara. The course itself is an oval sand track enclosing a field of thick lush grass with, along the straight, a long terraced hill for the spectators.

Each race is about six to ten riders who go once round the track. The pace is fast and furious with great clouds of sand and dust kicked up by the horses. One amusing highlight occurred when the mount of one of the riders, a boy of twelve, shot off on a short cut across the middle of the course, bucking and kicking. No amount of persuasion would bring him back and this, of course, brought roars of laughter from the small crowd, as these were really warming-up races for the following day. A few hundred people stood watching. The hill, I was told, would be packed tomorrow.

Finally, back in Odaka, a great firework display was held, all provided by local companies, and accompanied by the ancient singing and dancing of the Soma Bon Uta.

THE BIG DAY

Next morning, we were all up at 5am for today was the big day. We arrived at the doctor’s house at 6 o’clock, rather an early start but necessary because of the time it would take to get ready. Some riders had been up since 3am! Once again, after a light breakfast, on went the cotton underwear and white tabi. The first stage in donning the armour is to put on the quilted silk brocade jacket with close-fitting sleeves. This is followed by baggy breeches of the same material which fit tightly around the calves in order that the armoured leggings may be tied on.

Around the waist is tied the thigh armour, buttoned to keep it in place whilst on horseback. Quilted sleeves go over the jacket, these having splints and chain of lacquered steel sewn on with plates to protect the backs of the hands. They are fixed to the hands and wrists by silk loops and toggles.

The largest part of the body armour (Do)is the trunk protector, an armoured box with laminated, laced plates hanging from the bottom edge. Many people mistakenly think that Japanese armour is made mainly of bamboo and leather. It is not. It is iron plates. The Do is entered from the side and closed by means of cord loops and toggles with almost the entire weight being taken by the metal straps resting on the shoulders. This, of course, is painful and thick cotton pads are sewn into the underwear to prevent bruising the shoulders. Afterwards, they were to be red raw and swollen for some time.

On the back of the Do is fixed a socket for the flag pole and hanging on the chest are two more plates. On the left a solid one, and on the right, a laminated one, laminated so that the bow can be drawn more easily. From the shoulders hang large, rectangular shields tied in place with cords to a large decorative knot on the back. On the back of the left shoulder hangs a long white flag with the name of the wearer, together with a smaller, red authorization flag from the shrine. The head is protected by a long white hachimaki and round the waist is tied a cotton belt to take the swords. The shoes worn by most of the riders are straw sandals, tied on with cotton tape, although some wear fur boots. Finally, the great helmet with its crest is securely tied on. Whilst all this was going on, a process which requires a certain amount of assistance, some of the horses were being taken by horsebox to the racecourse at Haramachi. Some years, Satoshi and I actually rode together all the way which were experiences in themselves.

When we were finally dressed and ready, we put the swords and helmets in the car and tried to get in, not an easy business as the armour is designed to be worn on a horse, not inside a car. I managed to get in by hanging from the roof and swinging in and then we were off. Although the journey was only five miles it seemed like fifty for we both had swords and riding crops to look after and jammed across the inside of the car were the two eight-foot long flagpoles and their banners, difficult to manage as the poles have a bracket and top pole to hold the flags out. It was a narrow, country road busy with people driving to the festival, and all along the way we passed more and more riders on their way to the action. The excitement was building.

To be continued…

In next month’s edition we follow Michael Jay as he takes part in the Soma Battle Chase and the Noma Kake, the Soma Wild Horse Chase.

NB: In 1983 Michael Jay’s adventures in Soma were shown to great acclaim in the BBC’s prestigious documentary series ‘The World About Us’ entitled: The Soma Wild Horse Chase – The Samurai from Twickenham.

In December 1991, Michael Jay and 24 Soma horseman demonstrated Noma Oi in The Olympia International Showjumping Championships and at the Tower of London as part of the Great Japan Festival.

Future articles by Michael will explain the practicalities of wearing Japanese armour on horseback, more details about Noma Oi, how we made the The World About Us programme and taking part in the Olympia show.

Soma Noma Oi can be visited from Tokyo but accommodation should be arranged well in advance as this is a huge event and visitors come from all over the world to see it. For more information please contact the Japan Tourist Board and the Noma Oi Festival Office at the city offices of Haramachi, Odaka or Soma, Fukushima Prefecture. Official videos are available.

About the Author

Michael Jay is the only non-Japanese person to hold a samurai rank – that of Group Commander in Soma Noma Oi, the Soma Wild Horse Chase, the biggest horse event in the world and classified by the Japanese government as an Intangible Cultural Treasure of Japan. He holds a teaching licence in Japan's oldest martial school, the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, also classified as an Intangible Cultural Treasure.

He has Black Belt grades in several modern martial disciplines including:

• The British Judo Association (1st Dan); Kodokan Judo Institute (1st Dan);
• Muso Shinden Ryu Iai;
• Shindo Muso Ryu Jojutsu;
• All Japan Kendo Association Jodo (1st Dan);
• and All Japan Kendo Association Iaido (4th Dan Instructor).

In addition to this, he is qualified by the Smith and Wesson Academy not only as a Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor for rifle, shotgun, pistol and revolver but also for handgun retention, baton and handcuffs – all of which are useful as he is also a member of the Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary and regularly teaches police officers personal safety and self defence. As an archer he has a strong interest in the martial history of England and as a hunter in Africa fully supports animal conservation.

 

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