Naruo vs Kasumigaseki
Two of Japan's great pre war classics, both shaped by the English architect Charles Alison, but very different propositions. Naruo near Osaka is the purist's mountainside masterpiece, rated among the country's top three. Kasumigaseki near Tokyo is the grand championship club that hosted the 2020 Olympic golf. Here is the honest head to head, with our verdict up front.
Photograph: Kasumigaseki Country Club, via Google
The verdict
For the purest golf course, Naruo wins. Tucked into the hills at Kawanishi near Osaka, it is a dramatic, intimate mountainside layout, originally routed by the Crane brothers and reshaped around 1930 under the influence of Charles Alison, the architect whose deep, intimidating bunkers became a Japanese hallmark. A compact par 70 of around 6,616 yards across tumbling, ravine slashed ground lined with pines, it is beautifully preserved, fiercely private and consistently rated in the top three courses in Japan. For the connoisseur of classic architecture, it is the more rewarding and more authentic experience of the two.
Kasumigaseki is the grander, more storied institution. Opened in 1929 in Kawagoe near Tokyo, its East course was redesigned by Alison the year after and later modernized by Tom Fazio II ahead of the Games, and it carries a championship pedigree Naruo does not chase, from the old Canada Cup and World Amateur to hosting both the men's and women's golf at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It is bigger, longer and more famous worldwide, with two full courses. Pick Naruo for the purest classic round and a Kansai base around Osaka and Kobe, Kasumigaseki for championship history, the Olympic story and a Tokyo location. Both are intensely private, so access, not preference, is the real deciding factor.
Head to head
| Naruo Golf Club | Kasumigaseki Country Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Kawanishi, Hyogo, in the hills near Osaka and Kobe in the Kansai region | Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, around an hour from central Tokyo |
| Design heritage | Routed by the Crane brothers, reshaped around 1930 with the influence of Charles Alison; par 70, about 6,616 yards | Opened 1929, East course redesigned by Charles Alison in 1930, later modernized by Tom Fazio II |
| Style | Compact, dramatic mountainside golf over ravines and slopes, lined with pines; a pure classic | Grander parkland championship golf, longer and more open, with two full eighteen hole courses |
| Pedigree | No major tournament chase; a revered members' course rated in Japan's top three | Host of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic golf, plus the Canada Cup and World Amateur over its history |
| Standing | The architecture purist's pick and one of the most admired classics in Asia | The famous championship venue, known worldwide since the Olympics |
| Access | Among the most exclusive private clubs in Japan; member introduction essential | Highly private members' club; member introduction required to play |
| Who it suits | Classic architecture lovers basing a trip around Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto | Players drawn by championship history and the Olympic story, basing around Tokyo |
Course facts verified June 2026. Both are private members' clubs played by introduction, so access must be arranged well ahead. Enquire about access and tee times.
Who should pick which
Pick Naruo if
You love classic architecture and want the purest round of the two. Naruo is a beautifully preserved, dramatic mountainside course that many good judges rate the best or second best in Japan, an Alison influenced gem that has barely changed in character since the 1930s. It suits the architecture pilgrim building a Kansai trip around Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, who values an intimate, authentic classic over championship scale, and who can secure the introduction that a club this private demands.
Pick Kasumigaseki if
You want championship history and the Olympic story, near Tokyo. Kasumigaseki is the grander, more famous club, an Alison classic modernized by Tom Fazio II that hosted the 2020 Olympic golf and a string of major amateur and international events. With two full courses and a position within reach of central Tokyo, it suits players who prize pedigree and recognition, and who are building a trip around the capital and the great courses of eastern Japan.
Plan your Japan golf trip
Around Osaka and Kansai, Tokyo, or a wider tour of Japan's great classic courses. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge builds the routing, pursues access to the private clubs, and costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Naruo vs Kasumigaseki questions
Is Naruo or Kasumigaseki the better golf course?
It depends on what you value. Naruo Golf Club near Osaka is the purist's choice, a dramatic, beautifully preserved mountainside classic shaped in the early 1930s with input from Charles Alison and consistently rated among the top three courses in Japan. Kasumigaseki Country Club near Tokyo is the grander championship venue, host of the 2020 Olympic golf and modernized by Tom Fazio II. Choose Naruo for the purest classic architecture, Kasumigaseki for pedigree, the Olympic story and a Tokyo base.
Who designed Naruo and Kasumigaseki?
Both courses carry the architectural DNA of the English architect Charles Hugh Alison, who toured Japan around 1930. Naruo, originally laid out by the Crane brothers, was reshaped with Alison's influence into a par 70 of around 6,616 yards. Kasumigaseki opened in 1929 and its East course was redesigned by Alison the following year, famous for its deep bunkers, before Tom Fazio II modernized it ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
Which Japanese course hosted the Olympics?
Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, hosted the golf at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021, on its East course for both the men's and women's competitions. It has also staged the Canada Cup and World Amateur Team Championship over its long history. Naruo has never hosted an Olympics and is a private members' club rather than a championship venue.
Can visitors play Naruo or Kasumigaseki?
Both are highly exclusive private members' clubs, and a visitor realistically needs an introduction from a member to play either. Naruo in particular is among the most private clubs in Japan. A trip built around the great classic Japanese courses is best arranged well in advance through the right contacts. Always confirm access directly before planning.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Japan's great golf, the season windows and the courses worth the airfare. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.