English-Speaking Horse Riding Clubs in Japan (Near Tokyo) — 2026 Guide

In Japan, it is not easy to find an English-speaking friendly riding club. For many people who settle in Japan but long to have lessons or at least visits, below are five riding clubs that stand out for genuinely usable English information — some are visited by me personally, some are found relatively recently, so I will be honest that I have not tried them out by myself yet but I thought it would still be good to share. This is up to date till June 2026. Please treat this as a research-based starting point rather than a personal endorsement of every detail.

1. Okamoto Riding Club Japan - English Lessons near Mt.Fuji.

Okamoto Riding Club in Gotemba is about 1.5–2 hours by car from Tokyo. Located in the forests, the instructor Okamoto-san is an English speaking instructor with great experience in both dressage and jumping. It also covers a wide range: beginner lessons, kids, advanced riders, trail rides, and it is really close to a shopping mall outlet and Mt. Fuji!

Pricing is published in English and with their trial lesson it is 12000 JPY for 60minutes and you actually get to try two horses.

Booking goes through their English contact form — for tours, you send your preferred language, date, and group size. Near Gotemba Station and Gotemba IC, so it's a realistic day trip from Tokyo.

I have taken several lessons here. Okamoto-san has beautiful horses and a big outdoor arena for practice. If only I lived closer, I would definitely want to enroll there to learn more.

2. Artemis Riding Club Kobuchizawa — Forest Trail Rides in Yamanashi

Artemis offers clear English communication via WhatsApp and email, which removes a lot of the friction of cold-calling in Japanese. Offerings include forest walks (15–60 minutes), a "meet and care for the horse" experience, and trial lessons(30 minutes, ¥ 12,000), with forest rides starting around ¥4,400 for 15 minutes.

Open year-round with set morning and afternoon hours. It's also a 2-hour drive from Tokyo and a perfect day tour option with beautiful greenery. Please double-check the locations before you go (as there are two places for different services).

I haven't ridden here personally, but for anyone living in Japan long-term or wanting a low-friction way to ask questions in English before committing, this is a strong option. If someone would like to go to Yamanashi for trail rides together, feel free to contact me — I actually plan to visit Yamanashi later this year in autumn (Oct, Nov and Dec)

3. Hachioji Riding Club — Where My Riding Journey Started

This is where I started my riding journey and had my first lesson!

It's also the most accessible option if you want to stay within the Tokyo metro area — Hachioji Riding Club offers free shuttle service from JR Hachioji Station and Keio Hachioji Station. It's listed in the NRCA's English-lesson directory, with a clear menu: a first-timer experience (two 30-minute sessions, up to age 70), and a pony experience for kids from age 5. It's a traditional riding club, and if you intend to enroll for the long term and prepare for competitions, it's one option. They specifically have another branch in Tama Hills within the US military base, so that location is 100% English-speaking. However, at the Hachioji branch itself, the English level is only basic (some prior basic knowledge of Japanese will go a long way).

Booking is by phone for all course types, so it's worth having someone help with the call if your Japanese is limited, or sending a short English email first to confirm an English-speaking staff member will be available on the day you book.

4. La Hacienda Riding School — Traditional Dressage Training in Yokohama

If you're based close to the Yokohama Kanagawa area and want something closer to home, La Hacienda is worth a look. Their listing confirms English lessons are available, and the instruction is one-on-one, ranging from complete beginners to competition-level riders — so there's real depth here if you want to progress rather than do a single trail ride. It is also a very traditional riding club style, and it offers both dressage and jumping lessons.

The catch: the English booking process isn't as spelled out online as the others, so I'd recommend calling or emailing ahead to confirm scheduling and whether an English-speaking instructor will be on hand that day about a 20-minute walk from Mitsukyo Station on the Sotetsu Line.

5. HOTEL BLUEBERRY HILL KATSUURA — A Riding Day Retreat

I haven't ridden here myself, but their English page is genuinely well put together, which is worth noting on its own — a lot of clubs have an English page that's clearly an afterthought, and this isn't one of them. Courses are split clearly: pony riding, beginner walk, intermediate, and advanced, with age and experience guidance for each (ponies for ages 4–12, intermediate and above generally middle-school age or older). Pricing runs from about ¥1,100 for the pony option up to ¥5,500 for advanced. By the way, there are not many indoor arenas in Japan, so at least with this place, you will not need to worry about rain!

However, from the page, I feel this place is set up for visitors rather than long-term students. There's a reservation shuttle from Katsuura Station, and the booking flow is through phone or the hotel front desk rather than instant online booking. Good option if you want a single, well-explained experience rather than ongoing lessons.

A few honest notes before you book

A couple of these clubs (La Hacienda and Hachioji in particular) confirm English lessons exist, but don't spell out the full English booking process online — that's normal for Japan's local riding clubs, most of them aren't built for tourism businesses. It doesn't mean they can't accommodate you; it just means a short email or call ahead goes a long way. When you reach out, it helps to include: your preferred date and time, number of riders, riding experience, age, height, weight, the type of session you want (lesson/trail/pony/private), and that you'd like an English-speaking instructor if possible.

If You'd Rather Skip the Coordination

That's honestly the gap I built my own guiding work around. I help foreign visitors get matched with the right riding experience in Japan — translating the back-and-forth, confirming details, and making sure nothing gets lost between "I'd like to ride a horse in Japan" and actually being on one. If you'd rather skip the email chains, feel free to reach out :) And again we always have many fun riding tour options for you to choose.