On January 1, 2026, Funabashi Racecourse in Chiba Prefecture marked the start of the Year of the Horse with a New Year drone show. The event used 2,026 drones to display horse designs and other imagery in the night sky. It was planned and operated by Tokyo-based Red Cliff Inc.
Funabashi Racecourse in Chiba Prefecture hosted a drone show on January 1, 2026, to celebrate the New Year and the arrival of the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac.
The display featured 2,026 drones forming images of horses and other designs against the night sky. This innovative spectacle combined modern technology with traditional New Year festivities.
The event was organized and executed by Red Cliff Inc., a Tokyo-based company that previously ran daily drone shows during the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo.
By incorporating drone technology, the racecourse, known for its horse racing heritage, aimed to engage visitors in a fresh way. The show provided a memorable kickoff to the year for locals and tourists alike, as reported at 3:00 p.m. JST on the same day.
