Photo: Oiso Prince Hotel.
Japan is a golfer’s paradise with over 2,000 meticulously maintained courses. Many cater to golfers looking for scenic luxury, offering a blend of history, world-class design, and breathtaking landscapes. Among them, the following three courses are perfect for the discerning golfer.
Kawana Hotel Golfcourse Fuji Course: Play Where Legends Have Walked
Photo: Kawano Hotel.
Located on the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka Prefecture, the Fuji Course at Kawana Hotel is Japan’s answer to Pebble Beach. Opened in 1936 and designed by C.H. Alison, it sits atop lush cliffs overlooking Sagami Bay with outstanding views of Mt. Fuji on clear days. Ranked among the world’s top 100 courses, it has hosted the Japan Women's Professional Golf Tournament.
The Fuji Course is known for its soft fairways and small, delightfully challenging greens. The 15th hole, which hugs the Ito coastline, is among the course’s most iconic, offering an unforgettable experience with its verdant beauty and the majestic Pacific Ocean in the background. Also notable are Alison’s signature deep bunkers and the whimsical lighthouse shaped like a tee peg that marks the green on the 11th hole. This golfer’s paradise, one of two courses at the Kawana Hotel, is a walking course with caddie, which adds to its classic charm.
Photo: Kawano Hotel.
The Fuji Course is accessible only to Kawana Hotel guests and is therefore not viewed as a frequent golfing destination but rather a course to be played once in a lifetime. After a round of golf, unwind at the Kawana Hotel’s hot spring, savor its fine French food, or enjoy a drink in its Main Bar. But don’t miss all that this corner of Shizuoka has to offer outside the hotel.
The Izu Peninsula is rich in natural beauty. A short drive from Kawana Hotel is the Jogasaki Coast, which stretches for nine kilometers between volcanic cliffs and the Pacific Ocean. Two walkable suspension bridges, Kadowaki and Hashidate, offer panoramic views and a thrilling traverse many meters above the raging surf. For a quieter escape, hike through a serene forest to Tajima Falls, where a platform overlooks a cascade of water plunging into the sea.
Access:
Approximately 50 minutes by the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo Station to Atami Station and then 50 minutes by car from Atami Station to the Kawana Hotel
Kawana Hotel
Hoshino Resorts KAI Unzen: Golf, Onsen, and Beautiful Nagasaki Nature
Photo: Hoshino Resorts
The great pleasure of golf travel is discovering courses that are hidden gems with first-class accommodations and fascinating attractions nearby. Travelers looking for both golf and refined relaxation should definitely add the Hoshino Resorts KAI Unzen in Nagasaki Prefecture to their itinerary.
Set against the steaming geothermal landscape of Unzen Hells, this upscale hot-spring resort combines classic Japanese hospitality with modern Western comforts. After a day on one of the area’s several historic golf courses, guests can soak in private open-air baths.
KAI Unzen also offers public baths, which are decorated with colorful stained glass that sparkles in the morning sun. In the evening, enjoy a kaiseki dinner inspired by Nagasaki’s Shippoku cuisine, a fusion of Japanese, Chinese, and European culinary traditions.
Photo: Hoshino Resorts
Besides offering golf, the resort is also a great base from which to explore Nagasaki’s nature-rich heritage, such as Unzen-Amakusa National Park. Registered in 1934 as one of Japan’s first national parks, it features Unzen Hells, where volcanic steam issues from vents in the beautiful, cracked bedrock. The Unzen Onsen area is dotted with soothing hot spring inns and charming hotels, making it an ideal destination for those seeking both relaxation and adventure. A popular way to start the day is with a morning power walk along fumarolic trails, becoming infused with the earth’s energy, which can be later expended on a local golf course.
Access:
Approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes by air from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Nagasaki Airport and then 70 minutes by car from Nagasaki Airport to Hoshino Resorts KAI Unzen
KAI Unzen
The Atta Terrace Golf Resort: Where Championship Golf Meets Okinawa’s Island Calm
Photo: Atta Terrace
Overlooking the East China Sea, Okinawa’s Onna Coast offers a tropical escape into a world of tranquillity, but it’s also home to something more: the world-class Atta Terrace Golf Resort.
Established in 2002, this 18-hole course is laid out along the natural slopes of the Onnadake highlands. Its rolling fairways, tricky bunkers, and strategically placed water hazards are enough to pique the interest of skilled golfers, but the course is also doable for those still refining their game. A full driving range and putting greens are also available for warming up before testing oneself on the undulating fairways of the Atta Terrace, which looks out over the emerald waters of Okinawa.
Photo: Atta Terrace
After a round, tired golfers can head to the elegant clubhouse to dine on Okinawan cuisine or various light meals, browse the pro shop, or unwind in the quiet lounges, while eager adventurers can head outside into a vivid world of nature. A 10-minute drive from the resort is Cape Manzamo, which offers visitors cliff-top views and mesmerizing sunsets over its famous elephant-trunk rock formation.
Access:
Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes by air from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Naha Airport and then 1 hour by car from Naha Airport to Atta Terrace Golf Resort
Atta Terrace
Tee Off with Confidence – Even If It’s Your First Time
Photo: Oiso Prince Hotel.
First time playing a round of golf? Japan is very friendly for beginner and women golfers, with convenient golf-club sign-up and starter services. Oiso Golf Course in the Shonan region, Kanagawa Prefecture features 9 holes, a par 27, and a total length of 1,040 yards. Overlooking Sagami Bay, it offers a relaxed, walking-style play using push and pull carts – an ideal setup for beginners.
Located adjacent to the Oiso Golf Course, the thermal spa facility THERMAL SPA S.WAVE within the Oiso Prince Hotel offers a relaxing retreat with an infinity pool, four types of saunas, stone spas, and soothing natural hot springs designed to rejuvenate both body and mind. (Please note that the golf course and THERMAL SPA S.WAVE require separate fees).
Access:
Approximately 1 hour by train from Tokyo Station to Oiso Station and then 9 minutes by car from Oiso Station to the Oiso Prince Hotel
Oiso Golf Course
Related Links:
Kawana Hotel Golfcourse
Hoshino Resorts KAI Unzen
Atta Terrace Golf Resort
Oiso Prince Hotel
For general information on incorporating golf into your visit, the following website is a useful resource.
Golf in Japan
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About the author
Author : Cezary Jan Strusiewicz
Cezary Jan Strusiewicz is a writer and translator living in Yokohama. His areas of expertise include feudal Japanese history, Japanese pop culture, and regional Japanese tourism. You can find his work in various domestic and international publications.
