A horse park in Kashiwara, Osaka Prefecture, operated by Masashi Yokoyama, is dedicated to protecting and raising the Dosanko breed, one of Japan’s eight native horse varieties with only about 1,000 left nationwide. Originally from Hokkaido, Dosanko horses are known for their small size and toughness, but their population has declined sharply from nearly 3,000 in 1994 to just over 1,000 in 2024, largely due to fewer breeders and reduced demand amid agricultural automation. Yokoyama opened the park in 2022 to provide opportunities for people to interact with these horses through riding, feeding, and brushing, especially in an urban area where such experiences are rare.

Yokoyama has also innovatively linked the horses to Japanese cultural heritage by offering visitors the chance to ride Dosanko horses dressed in traditional costumes, including Sengoku period armor, enhancing the historical experience. The park encourages repeated visits without the need for official club membership, aiming to foster long-term bonds between people and horses. Beyond preservation, Yokoyama seeks to expand practical uses for Dosanko horses, such as selling them to riding clubs for children, emphasizing that increasing their numbers alone is insufficient without finding meaningful roles for the breed in modern society.