Re-Wild Kagoshima: The ultimate healing experience of interacting with the “Happy Horses”

At the base of the Kirishima Mountain Range, there is a place where horses can show their true colors.

The Kirishima Mountain Range lies in the first designated National Park in Japan. From wide grassy plains overlooked by these beautiful mountains, you can see the eruptions of Mt. Sakurajima, an active volcano.

In this place, where you can feel the earth breathing, nearly 150 horses roam freely.These horses are almost wild, stretching their legs as they please with their friends. Let the warmth and brightness of this land enfold you in its embrace.

What makes these horses happy?

The horses living here are retired racehorses, equestrian and riding club horses.
And behind the content expressions on their faces are the staff who look after them.

Our goal is to create a space where these horses can be happy here on these meadows. Surely the horses can feel the love of these gentle caretakers. Have you ever seen such contented and happy horses before?

In the northern part of Kagoshima on the high plains of the Kirishima Mountains is the “Horse Trust” ranch. Retired horses are looked after here, free to roam day and night as they please, living as they would in the wild. Watching them in this beautiful scenery is sure to warm your soul.

Living the good life with friends

What is the secret to a happy life?
We think there might be some hints here…

Neither people nor animals can live a solitary life.
A comfortable place with friends to lean upon, contains the secret of happiness.

Eat when you’re hungry, head to the shade of the trees, and pass the days with friends. The horses are free to do as they please. Having this freedom is the source of happiness.

Hoping for happy horses means much more than simply rescuing them.
Maintaining the meadows where they roam free takes special care.
Ensuring that the beautiful grasslands and forests are preserved for the next generation, and providing a place for people and horses to interact allows for a special lesson on the value of life and the way that humans and animals can coexist.

The warmth of both the land and the people here supports the Horse Trust.

Spending time with the Horses

Get close to the horses.
When you spend time with them, they will show you their hidden charms.

The life force in these friendly creatures will surely surprise you.
Hiking around the ranch, or riding through the ranch, whichever you choose, will surely provide you with a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

From the single cottage where you can spend the night on the ranch, you can see the clouds rolling like waves through the valley below in the early morning. During the day, you can gaze upon Mt. Sakurajima rising from Kinko Bay. If you open the window, there are the horses! What a wonderful way to interact with these beautiful creatures.

Let’s take a closer look at the lives of these horses.
They are certainly large, and very warm.

Gazing into the deep eyes of a horse reveals something surprising from those clear depths.
Riding on the back of a horse reveals a gentle heat that will warm your heart.
Touching a horse reveals its heartbeat and the rhythm of its breath.
Spending time with these horses reveals something deeply touching to all of us.

We want you to visit this place, to feel the power of this land.
We want you to spend some time with these beautiful creatures, because it is an experience like no other.

Horse Trust Well-being Experience

Get up close and personal with horses happily living out the rest of their lives as horses

The Blessings of Nature

The Kirishima mountains are still volcanically active.
This fire provides us with countless treasures.

The Kirishima mountains receive some of the highest rainfall totals in all of Japan, and this water gives us a wealth of both cool and hot spring water.
This blessing has nurtured a unique culture for the people living here.

Being inland allows for a climate with larger seasonal temperature variations.
The water is rated as among the best in Japan for its quality.
Rich soil, with volcanic ash providing good drainage, makes for excellent farming.

Rice, tea, Kuroushi (black beef), Kurobuta (black pork), and local poultry are all filled with the blessings of this land.

Body Philosophy Dance Workshop

It’s a dance that philosophizes using the body, feeling different energies, environments, and people as you focus on both your inner and outer selves.
Unwind Body and Heart with a Contact Improvisation Dance.

Experience the local food culture

Making a good life by hand.
Finding a way to make the best of little inconveniences.
This is the place where you can take the time to focus on the small things and make the most of each moment.

Things that can be made by yourself should.
For the things you can’t make yourself, make them with your friends.
The memories of an older, more fulfilling way of life are visible all around this place.

For all the conveniences of modern life, this place, and this natural beauty, are the key to learning that perhaps certain ways of living shouldn’t be changed.

Take a deep breath and feel the rhythm of the people living here. There is great value in living a slower, richer life.

Farming Experience and Isa Cuisine

Shochu is meant to be mixed

Sweet potatoes grow well in the volcanic soil here.
Shochu is the spirit of life for the people here.

Shochu is a distilled liquor made primarily from sweet potatoes.
Shochu’s fine flavor makes it the perfect complement to a good meal.
By simply changing the ratio of Shochu, or the beverage you mix it with, you can change the flavor of your drink. And this wide palate makes it a fascinating match for local cuisine.

By visiting a local distillery, you can learn the whole process from raw ingredients to finished product and see the pursuit of perfection shown by the distillers during the creation of Shochu. Through this experience, a glass of Shochu transforms into something more profound.

It’s not just a drink. It’s not just a way to pass the time. Through learning the creation story, it becomes a much deeper experience.

Mingle With Locals + Shochu Experience at an Izakaya Bar

Delicious food makes people smile. Delicious Shochu brings people together.
Local dishes taste the best.
You can experience the place they were made and connect with the people that made them. The creation of Shochu generates Shochu lees.
This grilled miso pork is made from pigs raised on those Shochu lees. The deliciousness connects it all together.
By walking across this land and getting to know it, by experiencing the daily life of the people here, these local dishes take on a whole new flavor.
Order any dish on the menu, it will surely make you smile.

See more

The Birthplace of Shochu

A one of a kind experience in a special kind of lodging.

Okita Kurobuta Farm “Nodoka”

- A luxurious way to pass the time at the Open Sky Ranch -
From the log cabin that overlooks the wide-open space of the ranch, you can experience the exquisite flavor of Kagoshima black pork, the pride of the ranch. Each delectable dish is prepared with care so that you can enjoy the unique flavor of this local specialty. The first generation of this family planted the cypress and cedar trees from which this cabin was constructed, and the delicate fragrance of the wood surrounds you while you’re here. We want you to enjoy the depth of mountain life under the beautiful nature while you stay here.

Ultimate Kurobuta (Black Pork) Course Meal in a Farmhouse Setting

Places to see in the Isa and Yusui area.

The locals modestly say, “There’s nothing to see here.” But, as a guest, you’ll find the truth of the beauty hidden here. Take a walk, make a new acquaintance, experience the joy and scenery to be found here.