7 Day Japan Golf Itinerary
Seven days of golf in the shadow of Mount Fuji, the most rewarding region for a first golf trip to Japan. This route loops out of Tokyo through the Fuji and Izu country, gathering the visitor friendly resort courses, Taiheiyo Club's Gotemba West, the public Fuji Golf Course and the celebrated Kawana with its Fuji and Oshima links, then folds in an onsen rest day and time in the capital. Immaculate conditioning, full day rounds with a proper lunch, and superb value. Here is the week, with indicative 2026 fees and the access rules that matter.
Photo: Hirono Golf Club via Google.
Who this trip suits
This is Japan for the travelling golfer who wants the full experience, world class conditioning, the ceremony of the Japanese golf day with its leisurely lunch break, and the backdrop of Mount Fuji, without battling the access barriers of the great members only clubs. The Fuji and Izu region holds a run of scenic, welcoming courses within a couple of hours of Tokyo, and pairs naturally with onsen towns, mountain scenery and a few days in one of the world's great cities. It suits a couple or a small group who treat the golf as the spine of a wider Japan holiday rather than a dawn to dusk marathon.
Two things shape the week. First, access: single golfers are generally not accepted and the famous classics such as Hirono and Naruo are members only, so this route is built around courses visitors can actually book, with the rest arranged through hotels or a specialist. Second, season: go in spring or autumn for the best weather and the scenery at its finest, and book the marquee rounds at Kawana and Gotemba well ahead.
The 7 day plan
Arrive Tokyo
Fly into Tokyo, shake off the journey and give yourself a day in the capital before the golf begins. Wander Shibuya and the back lanes of the old city, eat exceptionally well, and pick up any gear you would rather not fly with. An easy opener that sets the tone for a trip where the golf shares the bill with one of the world's most absorbing cities, and lets you adjust to the time before the first early tee time.
Taiheiyo Club, Gotemba West Course
Drive out to the Fuji foothills for your first round at Taiheiyo Club's Gotemba West, an accessible companion to the club's private championship course and one of the most scenic welcomes to Japanese golf, with Mount Fuji looming over the closing holes on a clear day. Immaculate turf, generous conditioning and the unhurried rhythm of the Japanese golf day, including the long lunch, make it a perfect introduction. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 32,590 yen on a weekday and 43,590 yen at the weekend; a shuttle runs from Gotemba Station in about twenty minutes.
Fuji Golf Course, Yamanakako
A short hop to Lake Yamanaka and one of Japan's most renowned traditional courses, Fuji Golf Course, opened in 1963 at the very foot of the mountain. Tree lined, gently rolling and open to the public, it is a classic example of the full Japanese golf day, the round split by a sit down lunch, with the cone of Fuji in view from the higher ground. A characterful, walkable round and a fine value second day before the trip steps up to Kawana. Confirm the current green fee when you book.
Kawana Hotel, Oshima Course
Transfer south to the Izu Peninsula and the storied Kawana resort, perched above the Pacific. Warm up on the Oshima Course, the resort's more open layout, which unlike its famous sibling is playable by all visitors, not only hotel guests. It is a fine round in its own right, with sea views and resort conditioning, and the ideal way to settle into Kawana before the showpiece the next morning. Stay at the Kawana Hotel to unlock the Fuji Course for Day 5. Confirm the current green fee on booking.
Kawana Hotel, Fuji Course
The marquee round and one of the finest courses in Asia, the Fuji Course at Kawana, a Charles Hugh Alison design from 1936 that tumbles along the Pacific cliffs of Izu with Mount Fuji across the bay. Often called the Pebble Beach of Japan and a fixture in world top 100 rankings, it is a thrilling, coastal test reserved for guests of the Kawana Hotel, which is why this trip stays there. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 47,800 yen on a weekday and 63,700 yen at the weekend; book the hotel and the tee time together, well ahead.
Hakone, onsen and rest
Trade the fairways for the hot springs. Break the return toward Tokyo in Hakone, the classic onsen town, for a day of bathing, mountain views, the Open Air Museum and a traditional ryokan dinner. It is the perfect counterpoint to four rounds of golf and a quintessential Japanese experience that lifts this from a golf trip to a proper holiday. A restful, scenic day that leaves legs fresh and the trip feeling balanced.
Tokyo and departure
Return to Tokyo for a last day in the capital, time for the temples, the markets and a final great meal, before the flight home. Golfers who cannot resist one more round can add a parkland course on the city's fringes, arranged in advance, since several Tokyo area clubs accept visitors. Otherwise enjoy the city, then head to the airport, a clean, satisfying close to a week that mixed world class golf with the best of Japan.
Green fees, access and logistics
| Round | Indicative 2026 fee | Access and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Taiheiyo Club, Gotemba West | Around 32,590 yen weekday, 43,590 weekend | Visitor friendly; shuttle from Gotemba Station |
| Fuji Golf Course | Confirm current rate | Open to the public; lunch break round |
| Kawana, Oshima Course | Confirm current rate | Open to all visitors |
| Kawana, Fuji Course | Around 47,800 yen weekday, 63,700 weekend | Kawana Hotel guests only |
| Everyday courses, weekday | Around 12,000 to 18,000 yen | Often include cart and lunch |
| Caddie, where used | Around 3,500 to 6,000 yen | Many rounds are cart only, self play |
Green fees and access verified indicatively in June 2026 from course and resort listings; they vary by day and season and change without notice, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking. Check Japan tee time availability.
When to go and how it works
Go in spring, late March into May for the cherry blossom and mild air, or autumn, October into November for crisp, clear days and the colour at its best, both ideal for the Fuji backdrop. Avoid the June rainy season and the hot, humid heart of summer, while winter is playable and quiet in the lowlands but cold at altitude near the mountain. The two rules to plan around are that single golfers are usually not accepted, so travel as at least a pair, and that a handicap card is rarely required at these courses. Base near Gotemba and Lake Yamanaka for the Fuji courses, then move to the Izu coast for Kawana, with a car or arranged transfers between, and the bullet train linking the region to Tokyo at each end. Booking the resort rounds and the Kawana stay through a specialist takes the friction out of the language and the etiquette.
Plan your Japan golf week
We arrange the tee times at the visitor courses, secure the Kawana Hotel stay that unlocks the Fuji Course, and sort the transfers, the onsen night and the Tokyo days so the etiquette and the logistics never trip you up. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Japan golf trip questions
Can foreigners play golf in Japan?
Yes. Many courses near Tokyo and Mount Fuji welcome visiting golfers, and a handicap card is generally not required, though a few elite clubs ask for one. The two practical rules to know are that single golfers are usually not accepted, so book at least a pair, and that the great classic clubs such as Hirono and Naruo are members only. The simplest route for a first visit is to book the resort and corridor courses through your hotel or a specialist, which also handles caddies and transfers. Always confirm access and rates directly before booking.
How much does golf cost in Japan?
Japan is good value by world standards. Indicative weekday green fees at everyday courses run roughly 12,000 to 18,000 yen, often including a cart and a sit down lunch, with weekends dearer. Marquee resort rounds cost more, with Taiheiyo Club's Gotemba West around 32,590 yen on a weekday and Kawana's Fuji Course around 47,800 yen on a weekday in 2026. Caddies, where used, add about 3,500 to 6,000 yen per golfer. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current fees directly before booking.
When is the best time for a golf trip to Japan?
The prime windows are spring, late March into May for the cherry blossom and mild air, and autumn, October into November for crisp, clear days and fine colour, both ideal for the Mount Fuji courses. Summer is hot and humid with the June rainy season to avoid, while winter is playable and quiet in the lowlands but cold at altitude near Fuji. Book the marquee rounds well ahead in the spring and autumn peaks. Always confirm seasonal rates and availability directly before booking.
Where should you base a Japan golf trip?
For a first golf trip, base the week around Tokyo and the Mount Fuji and Izu region, which holds a cluster of scenic, accessible courses within a couple of hours of the capital and pairs golf with onsen towns and easy city days at each end. Stay near Gotemba and Lake Yamanaka for the Fuji backdrop courses, then move to the Izu coast for Kawana. A car or arranged transfers make the region simple, and the bullet train links it all to Tokyo. Always confirm rates and availability before booking.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees, access and logistics verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.