A Japanese Pigeon Breeder Speaks Out

By Dallas Kenny (translated by Megumi Sunako)

With less than 200 birds in stock, Yasuhiro Sato is by no means the biggest importer and breeder of racing pigeons in Japan. But he is generally recognized as being one of the most respected providers of quality racing birds to the sport. The role played by professional pigeon breeders in Japan is greater than in the US, perhaps because there is little in the way of free birds circulating among friends or being given to new flyers. One does not hear the familiar refrain "I’ve never paid for a bird in my life!" In short, procuring pigeons in Japan means buying them.

Now 48 years old, Mr. Sato got started with pigeons 40 years ago as a second grader. At that time, his relatives were raising wild pigeons and he soon developed a life-long love affair with birds of all kinds.

His first racing birds were Hietzman Sions, Trentons, and Gordons. These were later replaced with Huysken-Van Riels down from Dr. Whitney -- all from American bred stock. He knew of a few French Sions on the market at the time, but people generally preferred the cheaper and well regarded American strains.

Because of these early experiences, Mr. Sato often dreamed of visiting America. Ironically, this dream was never to be fulfilled. Like in the US, the sport was forever changed by the dramatic shift towards Europe as the center of racing excellence. On his numerous trips to Belgium, Holland and England, he has rubbed shoulders with the likes of the Kuyper brothers and the Houben family.

He now imports breeds and sells only Kuyper, Dams (down from Pepperman and Gusan) and Jan Aardens. It was a Kuyper bird that won JRPA’s (Japan Racing Pigeon Association) one loft international race last year. Janssens, he says, have never gained the great popularity here that they have enjoyed in the States.

Mr. Sato has always been active in racing and recently took third place in a 10,000 bird race and ninth place out of 1600 birds. His biggest thrill in the racing game was 20 years ago when he took first place out of 2000 birds. A Benzing Paloma is used to clock his birds.

He sells about 150 birds per year to flyers all over Japan, as well as to Taiwan and the Philippines. The price he charges for a bird usually ranges from 50,000 to 300,000 Yen ($500 - $3000), but can reach one million Yen ($10,000) for youngsters directly off imports. Although he grossed 20 million Yen ($200,000) from bird sales over the past year, the cost of doing business is generally much higher in Japan than in the US, so he is now "just barely surviving" in the business, which is his sole means of livelihood. This is especially true now that Japan’s worst post-war recession deepens.

He saves some money buying his feed directly from a grain import agent, but the economy is forcing many flyers to quit the sport, eroding his customer base. A 25-kilogram (50-LB) bag of grain costs him 2800 Yen ($24.00), and a 1.8-liter package of grit costs 300 Yen ($2.50).

His only source of advertising is word of mouth and regular ads in The Racing Pigeon, a monthly magazine published by the JRPA. Occasionally buyers drop-by to inspect the birds in person, but they most often order by phone. Birds are shipped out in special bird cartons via an over-night air service similar to UPS. The cost of shipping is about 2000 Yen ($20.00) per bird and he provides full pedigrees with each sale.

No special license is required to sell birds in Japan and he knows of no zoning ordinances against keeping pigeons. The biggest barrier to participation in the sport here is lack of space in Japan’s crowded urban areas and rising costs.

His own loft is located in the top floor of his house in Yokohama (a suburb of Tokyo), and he both breeds and races from the same structure. Since he hires no help, he enforces a strict limit of less than 200 birds in his loft, so as not to sacrifice genetic purity and health.

Asked to provide a profile of his typical customer, Mr. Sato points out that most are now over 40 years old and prefer to race young birds.

His main critique of the sport in Japan is that races are becoming too money oriented and this is beginning to skew the priorities of the national organization and to sour relations among members. He claims that there are cases of flyers being excluded from clubs because they fly too well and that there are no organizational safeguards to defend such individuals.

Mr. Sato feels that the sport in Japan would greatly benefit from increased contact with American flyers and still hopes he can visit us some day. I extended a special invitation for him to do just that!