Green Fees in Japan: What It Costs to Play in 2026
Japan hides some of the best golf on earth behind cypress and pine, and it is more affordable to play than most travelling golfers expect. The headline green fee is only part of the bill, though. Caddies, carts, a sit down lunch and a local tax all move the number. Here is what golf actually costs in Japan in 2026, what is bundled in, and how a visitor without Japanese gets on the tee.
Photo: Kawana Hotel Fuji Course via Google, contributor ken (けんぱぱ).
The short answer
Plan on roughly 8,000 to 18,000 yen for a weekday round at a good public course in 2026, and 15,000 to 25,000 yen or more at the weekend, when national holiday and Saturday rates jump sharply. Around Tokyo the typical weekday figure is about 8,000 to 12,000 yen and the weekend figure 15,000 to 20,000 yen. The marquee courses sit far above that. Kawana's Fuji course, the most famous resort round in the country, runs near 47,800 yen on a weekday and 63,700 yen on a holiday, while the classic Charles Alison design at Hirono, a members club you reach only as a guest, lists weekday play near 15,730 yen and Sunday play near 25,630 yen. These are indicative figures that move with the calendar, so treat them as a guide and always confirm directly before booking.
The good news is what the fee usually includes. Many Japanese courses build a proper sit down lunch into the round, and a cart is frequently part of the price at public courses, so the day is more complete than a bare green fee elsewhere. The extras to watch are a caddie, charged where one is required, and a local golf course tax. The bigger lever for a visitor is not the fee at all, but getting a booking, which is where most of the work lies.
Japan green fees by type of course, 2026
| Course type | Where | Indicative 2026 green fee |
|---|---|---|
| Value public course | Rural, off peak | Around 7,000 to 12,000 yen, often with lunch and cart |
| Mid range public course | Greater Tokyo, weekday | Around 8,000 to 18,000 yen |
| Same course at the weekend | Greater Tokyo | Around 15,000 to 25,000 yen and up |
| Classic members club, as a guest | Hirono, near Kobe | Around 15,730 yen weekday, near 25,630 yen Sunday |
| Marquee resort course | Kawana Fuji, Shizuoka | Around 47,800 yen weekday, near 63,700 yen holiday |
Green fees verified indicatively in June 2026 from course and operator listings; they vary by season, day of week and guest status and change without notice, so always confirm current rates directly with the course or your trip planner before booking. Check tee time availability.
What the green fee includes, and what it does not
Three add ons decide the true cost of a Japanese round. The first is lunch. The long lunch break between the front and back nine is a national habit, and many courses fold a set meal worth around 1,500 to 2,000 yen into the package, so a quoted fee can already cover more than you expect. The second is the caddie. Plenty of public courses are cart only with no caddie, but at the better members clubs a caddie is required and costs in the region of 3,500 to 6,000 yen. The third is a golf course utilisation tax, set by each prefecture, which typically adds a few hundred yen up to around 1,200 yen per person per round. Carts themselves are often included at public courses, so always read the line items rather than the headline.
Season matters as much as the course. Spring around the cherry blossom and autumn during the leaf colour are the prettiest and priciest windows. Midsummer is hot and humid on the lowland courses but cheaper, while the highland and Hokkaido courses come into their own. Winter golf is genuinely good value in the milder south and around Tokyo, when many mountain layouts close under snow. Whatever the month, weekday play almost always beats the weekend by a third or more.
How a visitor actually gets on the tee
The barrier in Japan is rarely the price, it is the booking. The large majority of courses are open to the public, but few take reservations in English, and single players are generally not accepted, so plan to play as a pair or a four. Most visiting golfers book through a hotel concierge, a specialist Japan golf agent or one of the English language tee time services, any of which clears the language and payment hurdles for you. The handful of truly exclusive members clubs, Hirono and Tokyo Golf Club among them, still expect a member to introduce you, so build a trip around the many superb courses that welcome visitors and treat a members club round as a bonus if a contact can arrange it.
Plan a Japan golf trip
We handle the part that stops most visitors, the bookings, pairing the right courses with your dates and clearing the language and tee time logistics. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Japan green fee questions
How much are green fees in Japan in 2026?
Indicative 2026 weekday green fees at mid range public courses run from around 8,000 to 18,000 yen, with weekends and national holidays climbing to roughly 18,000 to 35,000 yen or more. Around Tokyo, plan on about 8,000 to 12,000 yen on a weekday and 15,000 to 20,000 yen at the weekend. Marquee courses cost far more, with Kawana's Fuji course near 47,800 yen on a weekday. Always confirm current fees directly before booking.
Is lunch or a cart included in a Japanese green fee?
Often, yes. Many Japanese courses build a sit down lunch into the day, typically valued at around 1,500 to 2,000 yen, and a golf cart is frequently included at public courses. A caddie is a separate charge where one is required, usually around 3,500 to 6,000 yen, and a local golf course tax set by each prefecture adds a few hundred to around 1,200 yen per round.
Can tourists play golf in Japan?
Yes. The large majority of Japanese courses are open to the public and welcome visitors. The main hurdles are language and booking, since few courses take reservations in English, so most visitors book through a hotel concierge, a specialist agent or an English language tee time service. Single players are generally not accepted, so plan to play as a pair or larger group. The most exclusive members clubs still require a member to introduce you.
When is golf cheapest in Japan?
Weekdays are far cheaper than weekends and national holidays at almost every course, often by a third or more. Early and late season rounds, outside the spring cherry blossom and autumn colour peaks, also carry lower rates, as do twilight tee times. Winter golf is cheapest of all in the milder south and around Tokyo, while the mountains close under snow.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.