Japan’s kawaii horsegirls continue their takeover of the US mainland — this time, it’s a Kentucky Horse Park exibition named Uma no Kokoro! Part of the previously announced collaboration between Cygames and the Kentucky Derby, the exhibit will run until January 4, 2026.
Uma Musume x Uma no Kokoro Details
The Uma no Kokoro (Heart of the Horses) exhibit is billed as “an immersive, educational overview of the horse world in Japan. This exhibit explores horses’ spiritual and cultural role in Japan, their use on the battlefield, and the robust world of Japanese racing and horsemanship.”
Uma no Kokoro is devoted to the roles horses played throughout Japanese history. While horse racing and horse culture are usually associated with countries like Argentina, the US, and Mongolia, Japan’s equine history can be traced back to 14,000 BCE. Horse racing (Uma Musume’s plot) started in Japan around the 6th century BC. The ongoing exhibit will cover this storied history and highlight cultural events like the Soma Nomaoi, Western-styled horse racing in Japan, and the Uma Musume: Pretty Derby franchise.
The Kentucky Horse Park’s admission fees for summer and fall are:
- Adult (18–61): $28
- Senior (62+): $23
- Student (5–17): $14
Owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Kentucky Horse Park opened its doors in 1978. Visitors can have hands-on experience with horses, attend equine live shows, and camp on the park’s grounds. Unfortunately, you still cannot touch the horse girls.
A Cygames IP, Uma Musume: Pretty Derby is a multimedia franchise focusing on anthropomorphic horse girls. One of the most successful franchises of the past decade, Uma Musume boasts several TV anime, manga, a stage play, mobile games, and movies. The Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray anime is currently airing on several streaming services. A mini-series Umayuru: Pretty Gray! currently airs on the Pakatube Channel.
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Uma Musume: Pretty Derby Global Version Launches in June
Why Does It Matter If Umamusumes Are Horsing Around the US?
This may surprise those who watch an anime once and forget about it, but anime leaves a lasting impression on many of us. Shows like Encouragement of Climb and Otherside Picnic are responsible for the many days I’ve spent mountaineering and exploring haunted locations.
Similarly, many weebs watched Special Week or Tokai Teio streak down the race track and developed an interest in horses. But as anyone who’s picked up a hobby because of anime quickly realizes, the information you get from it can be quite lacking. So exhibitions like this greatly help interested fans to learn about the hobby/sport they’re curious about.
I would have given anything to attend this year’s Kentucky Derby and see how its posh crowd reacted to Uma Musume cutouts at the race track and the Uma no Kokoro exhibit. Everyone expected Gojira to be the big threat coming from the east, but instead, it was adorable horse girls.
Source: Kentucky Horse Park Official Website
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