Taiheiyo Club Gotemba: 2026 Access and Booking Update
At the foot of Mount Fuji in Shizuoka, the Gotemba course at Taiheiyo Club is one of Japan's most famous tournament venues, home of the Taiheiyo Masters and a recent remodel guided by Hideki Matsuyama. Here is where it stands in 2026 and how access works.
The news: the Taiheiyo Masters and a Matsuyama remodel
The Gotemba course at Taiheiyo Club heads into 2026 as one of the best known names in Japanese golf, the flagship of the Taiheiyo Club family and the long time home of the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters, played here each November since 1977. With Japanese golf riding a wave of global interest, Gotemba remains the course most international fans picture when they think of tournament golf beneath Mount Fuji.
The course that hosts the event today is not quite the one of the 1970s. In 2018 Gotemba was comprehensively remodelled by the American architect Rees Jones and Bryce Swanson, working in consultation with Hideki Matsuyama, Japan's leading player. That modernisation is the most significant recent change, and it is what visitors and television viewers see today.
The course itself
Gotemba was originally designed by Shunsuke Kato and opened in 1977, then rebuilt in the 2018 Rees Jones remodel. It plays as a par 72 of around 6,500 yards from members tees, stretching considerably longer for the professionals, routed across rolling hillside terrain with Mount Fuji rising behind many of the holes.
The remodel rebuilt greens, bunkers and tees to a modern championship standard while keeping the dramatic Fuji backdrop that defines the place. It is a true hillside course with elevation change throughout, and the combination of tournament conditioning and one of the most spectacular settings in golf is what gives Gotemba its standing.
How to play it in 2026
Access is the key practical point at Gotemba. This is a private members club, and play is generally restricted to members and their invited guests, so there is no standard visitor green fee in the way there is at a resort course. For most travelling golfers, playing it means securing an invitation or arranging access through a member or a specialist operator.
Because access is so limited, the realistic way most international golfers experience Gotemba is around the Taiheiyo Masters each November, either as spectators or through hospitality. If playing is your goal, plan well ahead and arrange access in advance rather than expecting to book a casual tee time, and confirm any arrangement directly before travelling.
Our take
Our take is that Gotemba is one of the great bucket list settings in world golf, a championship course beneath Mount Fuji with real tournament history and a modern Matsuyama era remodel. The catch is access, which is genuinely restricted, so it rewards planning rather than spontaneity.
If 2026 is your window, decide early whether your goal is to play or to watch. For most visitors the Taiheiyo Masters in November is the most reliable way to see the course, while playing it requires arranging access in advance through the right channels. Either way, build it into a wider Japan golf trip to make the journey worthwhile.
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Questions
Can visitors play Taiheiyo Club Gotemba?
Access is restricted. Gotemba is a private members club where play is generally limited to members and their invited guests, so there is no standard visitor green fee. Most international golfers arrange access through a member or specialist operator.
What tournament is played at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba?
Gotemba has hosted the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters each November since 1977, and the course has also staged other professional events. For many visitors the tournament is the most reliable way to see it.
Who designed and remodelled Gotemba?
The course was originally designed by Shunsuke Kato and opened in 1977, then comprehensively remodelled in 2018 by Rees Jones and Bryce Swanson in consultation with Hideki Matsuyama. It plays as a par 72.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course, season and access details verified June 2026 from club and golf travel sources; conditions and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Hero image by ryoichi shigekawa via Google. Last reviewed June 2026.