Japan's legendary golf courses, ranked among the world's top 100: A complete guide to Kawana Golf Course
- Jul 30, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: 21 hours ago
There's a golf course in Japan that money can't get you onto. Neither can time. You need one more thing.
It's the Fuji Course at Kawana. C.H. Alison laid it out in 1936, it sits on Golf Magazine's Top 100 Courses in the World (No. 53 in 2023–24), and the people who've played it tend to call it Japan's Pebble Beach.
But the ranking isn't really the point. Here's the catch: you can only play the Fuji Course if you're staying at the Kawana Hotel. There's no driving down from Tokyo for the morning, no quick round before heading back. No room, no tee time. And once you're on it, you walk — every hole, with a caddie, across cliff-top terrain and around the deep bunkers Alison was famous for. It's the kind of golf that's almost gone from the rest of Japan.
So Kawana Fuji isn't a course you tack onto a trip. It's the reason for the trip. Where you stay, how you get there, checking in, moving the bags, whether everyone in your group can handle the walk — all of it has to be thought through, or the day doesn't come together.
I run these trips out of Tokyo and I've played Kawana myself, so in this piece I'll cover the parts that actually matter: why the Fuji Course is worth building a trip around, how it differs from the Oshima Course next door, what the booking really takes, how a round works, and the itinerary structure that makes the most sense.
Planning to play Kawana Fuji Course?
For travelers who want to play both Kawana Fuji Course and Kawana Oshima Course with Izu onsen lodging and private transport from Tokyo, view our Kawana & Izu Golf 5 Days 3 Rounds itinerary.
About Kawana Golf Course
Kawana Golf Course belongs to the Kawana Hotel and is made up of two courses.
The Fuji Course opened in 1936, designed by British architect C.H. Alison. Known for walking play, caddie service, coastal terrain, and classic British design, it's the course Kawana is built around.
The Oshima Course opened earlier, in 1928, designed by Mitsuaki Otani — one of the older seaside courses in Japan. Its pace is gentler than the Fuji's, which makes it a better fit for travelers who want the Kawana setting and views without chasing the toughest challenge.
The Fuji Course is one of the few Japanese designs with a genuine reputation overseas, and it's long served as a venue for the Fujisankei Ladies Classic, a key stop on the Japan LPGA tour.
Why the Fuji Course is worth a dedicated trip
The value of the Fuji Course isn't just that it's beautiful — it's that the full experience of classic golf is still intact here.
Most golf in Japan now runs on carts, self-play, and a lunch break in the middle. The Fuji is closer to how the game was meant to be played: walking, a caddie, sea wind, course strategy, natural terrain. That's rare in Japan now, and it's why a lot of experienced golfers put Kawana on their must-play list.
The difficulty doesn't come from length alone — it comes from terrain and judgment. The sea wind affects your tee shots and your approaches, the rolling fairways leave you rarely standing level, and Alison's bunkers make you pay for a loose shot. If you genuinely care about course design, this isn't just a scenic round — you can feel how the architect used the land to create the challenge.
Fuji vs. Oshima — don't get them confused
If you're planning Kawana for the first time, the easiest thing to mix up is the Fuji and the Oshima.
The Fuji is the headliner. Internationally known, a classic design, a more traditional style of play — it suits players with some experience, fitness, and rounds behind them. If the goal is the Kawana "pilgrimage," the Fuji is the centerpiece.
The Oshima is the more relaxed one. Same ocean views and sense of history, but without the same difficulty or ceremony. If your group includes a beginner, an older player, or anyone who wants an easier round, the Oshima pairs well.
The ideal setup is to play both on the same Izu trip. Open with the Oshima to settle in, then take on the Fuji the next day. That rhythm is more complete than flying down for a single Fuji round.
How a round works: walking, caddies, and carts
The core of the Fuji experience is walking with a caddie — and that sets it apart from many Japanese courses.
The Fuji is a walking course as a rule, with a caddie helping you through the round. The caddie does more than carry clubs: distances, green lines, wind, course strategy. For an overseas visitor, that's a real part of what makes Kawana, Kawana.
One thing to be straight about: the Fuji asks something of your legs. The terrain has noticeable elevation change, and walking the full round is harder than a typical cart round in Japan. If you don't usually walk a course, or someone in your group tires easily, weigh that up before booking.
There is one workaround. The Fuji runs a limited driver-operated limousine cart service — five groups a day, at an extra charge. It's not the same as grabbing a cart off the rack; it has to be arranged ahead of time and spots are scarce. If someone needs it, raise it at the booking stage, not on the morning of play.
The Oshima, by contrast, is more relaxed — regular carts allowed, easier to manage if walking or caddie communication is a concern, and a good choice for the first day or a lighter round.
Booking: not a course for last-minute plans
The Fuji isn't a course to arrange on short notice. Spring, autumn, weekends, Japanese public holidays, and the windows around tournaments all tighten availability noticeably. If you want the Fuji, confirm your dates, group size, lodging needs, and overall itinerary early.
Booking a single round isn't strictly impossible, but the Fuji is a destination course — treat it as an ordinary one-off booking and you'll short-change the experience. The mature approach is to pair it with the Kawana Hotel or lodging around Izu or Atami, and to plan transfers, course check-in, luggage and bag count, group fitness, and whether you need a Mandarin-speaking driver or on-the-ground support all together.
For overseas travelers, Kawana isn't just a round of golf — it's a golf trip that brings together a classic course, ocean views, onsen lodging, and the rhythm of Izu travel. If the Fuji is the goal, don't judge it on "can I get one tee time" — first make sure the whole itinerary holds up, so travel time, lodging quality, and the round itself all stay at their best.
The practical way to arrange Kawana
Kawana Fuji Course is not a simple one-round booking. Hotel stay, tee time, luggage movement, transport and group fitness all need to be planned together.
Our Kawana & Izu Golf 5 Days 3 Rounds itinerary is designed for this exact route: Kawana Oshima Course, Kawana Fuji Course, Izu-area stay, onsen lodging and private transport from Tokyo.
Is a day trip from Tokyo a good idea?
Leaving from Tokyo, a same-day round trip isn't the best way to do Kawana. The distance looks manageable on the map, but the roads toward Izu get hit by season, holidays, and tourist traffic, and the timing swings.
Drive out from Tokyo, play, and drive back the same day, and the day gets very long and the experience gets compressed. For travelers who care about quality, that doesn't do the course justice.
The sensible move is to stay in Izu or near Kawana — check in the night before, play in the morning, then continue to Tokyo, Hakone, Atami, or further into Izu afterward. That's how the course, the hotel, the views, and the hot springs come together as one trip.
Dress and etiquette
The Fuji keeps a fairly traditional atmosphere, so it's best to take a conservative line on dress and conduct.
Collared shirt, golf trousers or appropriate shorts, golf shoes. Avoid jeans, T-shirts, sandals, and overly casual wear. If you're unsure whether something passes, check before you travel.
Caddies communicate mainly in Japanese; some can manage simple English, but don't assume the whole round will run in English. If you're not familiar with how Japanese courses operate, it helps to have local support handle check-in, payment, luggage, bag shipping, and etiquette so nothing gets lost in translation on the day.
Who the Fuji Course is right for
The Fuji suits:
Golfers with some experience who want to play one of Japan's defining classic courses.
Players who value a course's history, design, scenery, and traditional style of play.
Travelers planning a high-end Japan golf trip — not just the cheapest tee time they can find.
Anyone happy to walk, wanting the caddie service and the rhythm of a classic round.
Overseas travelers who want golf, onsen, hotel, and the Izu coast as one complete trip.
If you just want an easy, cart-and-go round on a budget, the Fuji may not be the right fit. Its value is in the classic experience, not in being convenient or cheap.
How to structure the trip
Kawana works best as a 3-day / 2-night trip up to a 5-day / 4-night trip.
A 3-day, 2-night version covers Tokyo out, Izu lodging, and both the Oshima and Fuji courses — good for travelers short on time who still want the core Kawana experience.
A 5-day, 4-night version suits travelers who care about quality. You can build in the Fuji, the Oshima, Izu or Atami onsen lodging, plus a Hakone, Mt. Fuji, or Tokyo-area course, with a more comfortable pace that matches what overseas golfers actually come to Japan for.
If you'd like the Fuji Course, the Oshima Course, and Izu onsen lodging built into one complete golf trip, take a look at our Kawana Fuji 5-Day / 3-Round private itinerary.
FAQ
Do you have to walk the Fuji Course? The main Fuji experience is walking with a caddie — that's its defining style of play. If there's a mobility issue or special need, confirm what's possible before booking.
Is the Fuji Course good for beginners? Not really recommended as a first round in Japan. It's better suited to players with some experience who can handle walking and a traditional course rhythm.
Is the Oshima Course worth playing? Yes. It's more relaxed, the scenery is good, and it gives you the feel of Kawana's seaside golf. If time allows, play both the Fuji and the Oshima.
Do you have to stay at the Kawana Hotel? For the Fuji Course, yes — it's hotel-guests only. More broadly, staying around Kawana or Izu makes the whole trip more complete and avoids the time crunch of a Tokyo day trip.
Is a private car from Tokyo to Kawana convenient? It can be arranged, but it's better not to treat the Fuji as a simple there-and-back day trip. The mature approach is to pair it with Izu or Atami lodging so the transfers and the round both make sense.
Kawana isn't a sightseeing course — it's one of the touchstones of Japanese golf history and design. The Fuji's ocean views, terrain, walking rhythm, and caddie service are why so many overseas golfers count it as a must-play in Japan.
If you genuinely love the game, Kawana is worth a dedicated trip. The right way to do it isn't a rushed day there and back — it's building it into a full Izu golf trip, so the course, the lodging, the onsen, and the travel all line up.
If you'd like to arrange the Fuji Course, the Oshima Course, Izu onsen lodging, and private transport from Tokyo, Miramar Japan Golf & Travel can plan a custom itinerary around your group size, lodging level, and rounds.
Ready to plan your Kawana golf trip?
Send us your travel dates, number of golfers, room preference, arrival airport and the rounds you would like to play. We will check hotel availability, tee time availability and routing before sending a formal quote.
For any itinerary planning or reservations, get in touch.
Miramar Japan Golf & Travel
Phone / WhatsApp: +81 70 7586 7568
Email: 768miramar@gmail.com
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