Kawana Fuji vs Hirono
Two Charles Alison masterpieces, built within four years of each other in the early 1930s, and the cornerstones of any serious golf trip to Japan. Hirono is rated the finest course in the country. Kawana's Fuji Course is the clifftop dream you can actually book. Here is the honest head to head for the traveling golfer, verdict first.
Photograph: Kawana Hotel Fuji Course, via Google
The verdict
On architecture alone, Hirono is the greater course. Charles Alison routed it through hilly pine forest near Kobe in 1932, and its diagonal carries, ragged-edged bunkering and superb par 3s have kept it at the top of Japan's rankings for nearly a century, a position reinforced by a sympathetic Mackenzie and Ebert restoration. It is the connoisseur's choice and a genuine top fifty course in the world. The catch is access: Hirono is a strictly private club, and without a member to host you, the gates stay shut.
For the traveling golfer, Kawana's Fuji Course wins, because you can play it. Alison's 1936 design rides the cliffs of the Izu peninsula high above Sagami Bay, with Mount Fuji on the horizon and a closing stretch of seaside holes so beautiful it is called the Pebble Beach of Japan. It is a resort course attached to the historic Kawana Hotel, so a stay buys a tee time, and while it sits a notch below Hirono on the rankings, the drama, the views and the sheer accessibility make it the one most golfers should chase. Admire Hirono, but plan your trip around Kawana.
Head to head
| Kawana, Fuji Course | Hirono Golf Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Designer | Charles Hugh Alison | Charles Hugh Alison |
| Opened | 1936 | 1932 |
| Setting | Clifftop above Sagami Bay, Izu peninsula, with Mount Fuji views | Hilly pine forest near Kobe, Kansai |
| Character | Dramatic seaside resort course, subdued bunkering, the Pebble Beach of Japan | Strategic inland masterpiece, fearsome Alison bunkering, Japan's number one |
| Access | Resort course; stay at the Kawana Hotel to play (visitor friendly) | Strictly private members club; a member host is required |
| Ranking | Among Japan's and the world's best; slightly below Hirono | Consistently rated the finest course in Japan |
| From Tokyo | Around two to two and a half hours | Western Japan; reached via Osaka or Kobe |
| Best for | The traveler who wants to play a great, scenic course | The purist chasing the very best architecture |
Designers, opening years and access verified June 2026 from course and ranking sources; access rules and fees change, so always confirm directly before booking or arranging a visit. Ask us about access.
Who should pick which
Pick Kawana Fuji if
You want to actually play a Golden Age masterpiece in Japan. Kawana's Fuji Course is open to guests of the Kawana Hotel, so a stay on the Izu peninsula secures a round on one of the most beautiful clifftop layouts in the world, with Sagami Bay below and Mount Fuji on the skyline. It suits the traveling golfer building a real, bookable Japan itinerary, and it pairs naturally with the resort's second course, the Oshima, and an easy run back to Tokyo. The accessible dream round.
Pick Hirono if
You are chasing the very best architecture and have a way in. Hirono is the finest course in Japan, an Alison design of strategic genius and dramatic bunkering that rewards the purist, and its recent restoration has only sharpened its standing among the world's elite. It suits the connoisseur who can arrange a member introduction or a special access trip, and who wants to tick off a genuine global top fifty course. The greater course, for those who can get through the gate.
Plan your Japan golf trip
A clifftop round at Kawana, a tilt at access to Hirono, or a full east-to-west tour taking in Naruo and Kasumigaseki too. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge builds the tee times, the access, the hotels and the route, and costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Kawana vs Hirono questions
Is Kawana Fuji or Hirono the better course?
On pure architecture, Hirono is rated the finest course in Japan and one of the best in the world, a 1932 Charles Alison design through pine forest with his celebrated bunkering, recently restored by Mackenzie and Ebert. Kawana's Fuji Course, the same architect's 1936 clifftop layout above Sagami Bay with views to Mount Fuji, sits just below it but is far more accessible. The traveler's answer depends on whether you value the greater course or the one you can actually play.
Can visitors play Hirono and Kawana?
Kawana's Fuji Course is the realistic one for visiting golfers: it is a resort course attached to the Kawana Hotel on the Izu peninsula, and staying at the hotel is the standard route to a tee time. Hirono is a strictly private members club near Kobe with no general visitor access, so a round there requires a member host. For most travelers, Kawana is the playable masterpiece and Hirono the one to admire.
Who designed Kawana Fuji and Hirono?
Both were designed by the English Golden Age architect Charles Hugh Alison, who toured Japan in the early 1930s. Hirono opened in 1932 and Kawana's Fuji Course in 1936. Alison's deep, dramatic bunkers left such a mark on Japanese golf that bunkers are still sometimes called Arison in Japan. The two courses are widely regarded as his Far Eastern masterpieces.
Where are Kawana and Hirono?
Kawana sits on the eastern coast of the Izu peninsula, around two to two and a half hours from Tokyo by road or train, with the clifftop Fuji Course overlooking Sagami Bay. Hirono is near Kobe in the Kansai region of western Japan, roughly 40 minutes from the city. A trip taking in both is a natural east-to-west Japanese golf tour, often paired with Naruo and Kasumigaseki.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, designers and access verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.