Honestly, if you've spent any time grinding in Uma Musume Pretty Derby, you know that Nakayama is where dreams go to die. It’s not just another track. It’s a specialized nightmare. While Tokyo Racecourse gets all the glory for the Japan Cup and the Derby, Nakayama is the gritty, technical cousin that demands a completely different build for your girls. You can’t just slap a "Speed" build on a character and hope for the best here.
The hills. My god, the hills.
Nakayama is famous for that brutal upward slope right before the finish line. In the game, this translates to a massive drain on your stamina and power stats. If you haven't prepped for that final stretch, your horse girl will look like she’s running through waist-deep molasses while the rest of the pack sails past. This isn't just flavor text; it's a mechanical reality of the game's engine that mirrors the real-life Nakayama Racecourse in Chiba, Japan.
The Nakayama Racecourse Reality Check
Most players treat every right-handed track the same. Huge mistake. Nakayama is a "Small" track in horse racing terms, despite being a Grade 1 venue. It has a shorter homestretch—only about 310 meters—compared to Tokyo’s massive 525-meter run.
What does this mean for your Uma Musume?
It means positioning is everything. If you’re playing a Chaser (Oikomi) or a Betwixt (Sashi) runner, you have significantly less time to make up ground once you hit the final corner. If you aren't in a decent spot by the time you leave the fourth turn, it's basically over. The game calculates the acceleration window based on that distance, and at Nakayama, that window is tiny. You need high Power to navigate the crowded pack and Acceleration skills that trigger early.
Then there’s the "Final Slope."
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The real track features a rise of about 2.2 meters over a very short distance. In the game, this is the ultimate "Stamina check." You'll see girls with 1200 Speed get absolutely crushed by a girl with 800 Speed and 1000 Power/Stamina because the latter didn't "bottom out" on the hill. It’s painful to watch. You've spent weeks training, and it all vanishes in three seconds of uphill climbing.
Why the Arima Kinen is the Ultimate Test
We have to talk about the Arima Kinen. It's the crown jewel of Nakayama. 2500 meters.
In the Uma Musume universe, the Arima Kinen is usually the final hurdle for many training scenarios, and it’s the centerpiece of many Champions Meetings. Because it’s 2500m, it’s technically a "Long" distance race, but it plays like a Medium-Long hybrid.
You need the stamina for a long race, but the agility of a medium-distance runner.
The Skill Trap
Don't fall for the trap of only taking "Straight" skills. Because Nakayama is so curvy, "Corner" skills provide way more value. Arc Maestro is basically mandatory here. Honestly, if you aren't running a recovery skill like Maestro or Pure Heart for the 2500m Nakayama layout, you're just gambling with your TP.
Real-world statistics from the actual Arima Kinen show that wide turns often lead to losses. The same logic applies in the game. Look for "Inner Course" buffs. Characters like Grass Wonder or Symboli Rudolf historically dominate this vibe because their internal logic and skill sets favor the gritty, come-from-behind-but-quickly nature of Nakayama’s tight turns.
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The "Right-Turn" Factor
It sounds simple. It’s a right-handed track. But many players forget to grab the "Right-Turn" (Migi-mawari) green skill. This is a flat boost to your Speed stat that stays active the entire race. At Nakayama, where every point of stats is squeezed by the terrain, that "○" or "◎" can be the difference between a first-place finish and a "Better Luck Next Year" screen.
Specific Characters That Rule Nakayama
Some girls are just built different for this track. Kitasan Black is a monster here because of her lead-style dominance and how she handles the short straight. If she’s ahead coming off that final turn, catching her is a nightmare because of the hill slowing everyone down.
Then you have Oguri Cap. Her "Christmas" alt (X-Oguri) is legendary for Nakayama because her unique skill triggers perfectly with the distance markers of the 2500m layout. It’s almost a cheat code. When she triggers that heal and speed boost simultaneously right before the hill? It's game over for everyone else.
But let's look at the underdog: Nice Nature.
Nature is the queen of Nakayama in many fan circles, and her skills often revolve around debuffing others. On a tight track like Nakayama, where everyone is bunched up, "Red Skills" (debuffs) are incredibly effective. If she can drain the stamina of the leaders right as they hit that 2.2-meter slope, she can sneak into a podium finish. It’s a valid strategy that people sleep on because they’re too focused on raw speed.
How to Build Your Uma Musume for Nakayama
Stop focusing on the 1200/1200 Speed/Intelligence meta for a second. If you’re heading to Nakayama, try this instead:
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- Prioritize Power over pure Speed: You need the torque to get up that hill. A Power stat of 900+ is the bare minimum for G1 success at Nakayama.
- Stamina is non-negotiable: For the 2500m Arima Kinen layout, aim for at least 800 Stamina plus at least one Gold recovery skill. If you’re at 600, you’re going to "gasp" at the finish line.
- The "Non-Stop Girl" Skill: This is arguably the best skill for Nakayama. Since the track is narrow and the straight is short, you will get blocked. Non-Stop Girl (or its lower version, Tareuma Kaihi) allows your girl to navigate through the crowd without losing momentum.
- Acceleration is King: Because the straight is so short, your "Endgame" speed skills won't have time to reach their max potential. You need "Acceleration" (Khasoku) skills that kick in the moment you leave the corner.
Nakayama isn't a track that rewards the "fastest" horse. It rewards the "strongest" one. There is a distinction. Speed is how fast you can go on a flat, infinite plane. Strength is how well you maintain that speed when the world is trying to slow you down.
What Most People Get Wrong
People think "Right-Handed" (Migi) and "Inner Track" (Uchi-mawari) are just minor flavor details. They aren't. They are multipliers.
In the actual game code, these green skills provide a percentage-based boost to your base stats. On a 2500m race, those percentages add up to a massive distance lead over the course of two minutes.
Also, stop neglecting the "Guts" (Konjo) stat. Recently, the game balance has shifted to make Guts more relevant during the final spurt, especially when "clashing" with other runners. Since Nakayama is so tight, you will be clashing. A girl with 400 Guts will get bullied out of the way by a girl with 800 Guts every single time on the Nakayama homestretch.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Training Run
To dominate your next Nakayama-based event or to finally clear that tricky Arima Kinen Legend Race, follow this specific progression:
- Check the Weather: Nakayama often rains in the game's seasonal rotation. If it's "Heavy" or "Bad" track conditions, your stamina drain increases by roughly 10-15%. Overcompensate during training.
- Inherit "Nakayama" Factors: Look for blue or red factors that specifically give you the "Nakayama Racecourse" green skill. Having this at level 3 or 4 makes it very cheap to buy during the run.
- Focus on "Early-Acceleration" Skills: Skills like Angling × Scheming (Unryu's unique) or Let's Anabolic! (Ryan's unique) are crucial for Nakayama because of where the "Acceleration Zone" starts relative to the corners.
- Balance your Stats: For a successful Grade 1 Nakayama run (Medium distance), aim for a 1000/800/900/600/800 split across the five stats. Adjust stamina upward for the Arima Kinen.
- Watch the Replays: Don't just skip the race. Look at where your girl loses speed. If she’s slowing down right at the 200m mark, it’s a Stamina/Power issue. If she’s getting "stuck" behind others, you need more Intelligence and Positioning skills.
Nakayama is a beast, but it’s a predictable one. Once you respect the hill and the short straight, the racecourse becomes much less of a gamble and more of a technical puzzle you can actually solve.