Clifftop golf at Kawana with Mount Fuji across the bay, the Taiheiyo course beneath the mountain, then onsen baths, kaiseki dinners and the temples of Kyoto. A trip where the golf and the culture share the bill equally, planned end to end by one concierge.
Photograph: Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course, Japan, via Google
A couples trip to Japan suits the pair who want a great golf experience folded into one of the world's most rewarding cultural escapes, whether both of you play or only one. The golf has real pedigree, above all Kawana's clifftop Fuji course, a Charles Alison design from 1936 on the Izu coast with Mount Fuji across the bay, and it sits among onsen hot springs, ryokan inns and the kind of food and scenery that make the non golfing half of any couple just as happy. This is not a buddies grind of thirty six holes a day; it is a balanced trip where a morning round is followed by an afternoon in a garden, a temple or a bath.
The shape that works is golf and culture in equal measure, run from comfortable bases. From Tokyo and the Fuji foothills you reach the Taiheiyo course at Gotemba and stay in an onsen ryokan with the mountain in view, then the Kawana resort gives a couple of scenic clifftop rounds by the sea. Add Kyoto for the temples, the gardens and the geisha district, and the trip becomes a true grand tour of Japan with golf at its heart. We arrange the tee times, the ryokan and the trains so the two of you simply enjoy it.
The most scenic round on the trip and one of Asia's great courses, a Charles Alison clifftop design from 1936 with Mount Fuji across the bay. Attached to the Kawana Hotel, so a couple plays as resort guests and stays steps from the first tee. The sister Oshima course gives an easier second round for a relaxed day.
A polished championship course at the base of Mount Fuji, a Kato Shunsuke layout of 1977 remodeled with Rees Jones input, host to a long running professional tournament. It takes visitor play and pairs perfectly with an onsen ryokan stay in the Fuji foothills, an easy reach from a Tokyo base.
The reason Japan suits couples so well is the everything else, the volcanic hot springs and ryokan inns of Hakone and the Fuji foothills, the multi course kaiseki dinners and the gardens. We weave these between the rounds so the non golfing days are as memorable as the golf.
A couple of days in Kyoto round out the trip, the temples, the bamboo groves, the geisha district of Gion and the food, reached by a fast and effortless bullet train. The cultural counterweight to the golf and the perfect close to a Japan couples trip.
Designers, opening years and access verified June 2026 from the clubs and leading course databases. The marquee private clubs require member introductions; a couples trip is built around the resort and visitor courses with the scenery and stays to match. Always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
Arrive and settle into Tokyo, easing the jet lag with the city, the food and the lights before the golf begins.
Move to an onsen ryokan in the Fuji foothills, play the Taiheiyo course at Gotemba, and soak in a hot spring with the mountain in view.
On to the Kawana resort for the clifftop Fuji and Oshima courses and a relaxed seaside stay, the golfing high point of the trip.
A bullet train to Kyoto for the temples, gardens and a final kaiseki dinner before the flight home, the cultural finale.
Japan's fast trains link Tokyo, the Fuji foothills, the Izu coast and Kyoto with ease, so a couple moves between bases without long drives or stress. Rail, transfers and tee times are confirmed for each itinerary.
| Style | Per couple, 2026 | What it usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| Fuji and onsen short trip | From around £3,000 to £4,000 | 4 to 5 nights, Gotemba golf, ryokan, hotels, rail |
| The classic golf and culture week | From around £4,000 to £5,500 | Kawana stay and play, Gotemba, onsen, Kyoto, most golf |
| The grand romantic tour | From around £5,500 upward | Premium ryokan and hotels, Kawana, Kyoto, full itinerary |
Indicative third party operator and resort package ranges per couple for the 2026 season, excluding long haul international flights, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Spring, from late March to May, and autumn, from September to November, are the loveliest windows for a couple, with mild weather, the courses at their best, cherry blossom in spring and brilliant color in autumn, so target those, knowing blossom and color season book up early. Summer is hot and humid and the rainy season runs through much of June, while winter is cool but a fine time for onsen and clear Mount Fuji views. The Kawana rooms and the best ryokan are the hardest things to hold, so secure those first, then build the culture and the city days around them.
Tell us whether one or both of you play, the golf and the experiences you want and roughly when. One concierge secures the Kawana rooms, the tee times and the ryokan, costs the whole trip to the couple, and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Japan pairs world class golf with one of the great cultural escapes, which is exactly what a couple wants when only one of them, or both, play. The headline round is Kawana's Fuji course, a Charles Alison design from 1936 on the clifftops of the Izu coast with Mount Fuji across the bay, attached to a resort hotel. Around the golf sit onsen hot springs, ryokan inns with multi course dinners, cherry blossom in spring and color in autumn, and the temples of Kyoto, so the non golfing days are as memorable as the rounds. Always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
The most accessible scenic round is Kawana's Fuji course, an Alison clifftop design attached to the Kawana Hotel resort and playable by guests, with the sister Oshima course alongside. The Taiheiyo Club Gotemba course at the base of Mount Fuji, a Kato Shunsuke layout remodeled with Rees Jones input, takes visitor play and pairs beautifully with an onsen stay. The top private clubs require member introductions, so a couples trip is built around the resort and visitor friendly courses with the scenery and the stays to match. Always confirm access before booking.
Indicative trips run from around 3,000 to 6,000 pounds or more per couple for a week, depending on the golf, the ryokan and hotel choices and the season, and excluding long haul international flights. A premium ryokan with kaiseki dining and the Kawana rooms lift the total, while the green fees themselves are good value. The non golf experiences, the onsen, the food and the culture, are where a couple chooses how far to go. All figures are indicative; always confirm directly before booking.
Spring, from late March to May, and autumn, from September to November, are the loveliest windows, with mild weather, the courses at their best, cherry blossom in spring and brilliant color in autumn, perfect for a couple. Summer is hot and humid and the rainy season runs through much of June, while winter is cool but a fine time for onsen and clear Mount Fuji views. Book the Kawana rooms and any premium ryokan well ahead, especially around blossom and color season. Always confirm before you travel.
Kawana releases, Japan access and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative costs verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.