‘I was born into temple life’: how Buddhist upbringing gives Olympic showjumper zen composure

Eiken Sato’s philosophical reaction to a “disappointing” first round in the Olympic showjumping may be in part thanks to his heritage. The Japanese showjumper was born into a centuries-old Buddhist temple compound, where his father, Shodo, was the chief priest. Both Shodo and Eiken’s older brother Kenki are Buddhist monks.

“I was born into temple life, but I’m the middle brother so I don’t have to be a monk,” says Eiken, 38. “I was free to go and ride horses! Maybe this background helps me to be calm, it’s possible.”

Olympic showjumping in the genes for Eiken Sato

But equestrianism is as much part of the Sato family’s heritage as Buddhism. In Ogawa, Nagano, the mountain village where Eiken was raised, his father set up a riding school.

“My father had a riding club, so I rode there from eight years old to 18,” he says. “Then I moved to Belgium, and now I’m in Germany.”

Kenki rode in the Japanese eventing team in the London 2012 Olympics and competed up to CCI5*, while Shodo was also selected for the Japanese team for the Moscow 1980 Games, but he did not get to compete as Japan joined the boycott. Eiken’s younger sister Tae also competes in international showjumping.

After Japan failed to qualify for the team final on Friday (2 August) at the Paris Olympics, Eiken is hoping for an improved performance in the individual competition which starts on Monday (5 August). He and Conthargo-Blue, whom he has been riding only since April, had four down in the qualifier.

“I am disappointed, but we are riding animals and we are also animals,” he says. “Most of all I feel sorry for my horse. I cannot change it by crying, so I try to put my head up and keep going.”

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