⟡Roy ࿐ ꜱᴛᴇɢᴏ'ꜱ ᴮᵒʸᶠʳⁱᵉⁿᵈ ♡🪶🖋️

The Historical Significance of Tenno Sho in Japanese Diplomacy and Racing Toyokichi Kitano, an owner-breeder known for the “Mejiro” prefix in horse names and who won numerous big races in Japan, expressed the following values: “I want to win the Tenno Sho more than the (Japanese) Derby. I believe that the greatest honor and joy for a horse owner is to hold the Emperor’s Shield (the prize awarded to the winner of the Tenno Sho).” So, what exactly is the Tenno Sho, which some people consider the highest honor? ############################## A Bit of History Around 1870, one of the significant diplomatic issues faced by the Japanese government was the revision of treaties concluded with various foreign countries, mainly in Europe and America. To facilitate smooth treaty revision negotiations, the government actively adopted Western culture. Horse racing was one such adoption, and for the government and Emperor Meiji, racecourses were important diplomatic stages. Among them, the Negishi Racecourse, established and operated by foreigners since its opening at the end of the Edo period(Tokugawa Shogun), was notable. Emperor Meiji frequently visited the Negishi Racecourse, accompanied by Japanese diplomats and politicians in charge of foreign affairs. In Britain, there was a tradition where the King himself would establish major races at the racecourse and bestow luxurious prizes. Following this precedent, Emperor Meiji bestowed a luxurious prize to the Negishi Racecourse—the Mikado’s Vase, established in 1880. Time passed, treaty revisions were realized, and in 1902, the Anglo-Japanese Alliance was concluded between Britain and Japan. When it became evident during the Russo-Japanese War that the quality and number of Japanese military horses were significantly inferior, the Japanese military relied on the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and requested the mass importation of superior military horses. In response to this request, British Minister Sir Claude MacDonald acted, urgently exporting over 3,700 horses from Australia to Japan. Emperor Meiji, who had established a personal relationship of trust with MacDonald, presented him with a “Silver Flower Vase with Chrysanthemum Imperial Crest” upon his promotion to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Using the cup he received from Emperor Meiji as the prize, MacDonald established the Emperor’s Cup in 1905. After several name changes and various modifications to race conditions, it is now called the Tenno Sho (Tenno is the Japanese word for Emperor).