Kawana Hotel Golf Course — Fuji Course
Japan's most celebrated course — a C.H. Alison clifftop masterpiece high above the Pacific on the Izu Peninsula, playable only by guests of the storied Kawana Hotel.
Kawana Hotel Golf Course — Fuji Course in photos
Can I play Kawana Hotel Golf Course — Fuji Course?
Yes, but only if you stay at the Kawana Hotel — the Fuji Course is reserved for hotel guests, so a room booking is your tee ticket. It is widely regarded as Japan's finest course and among the greatest in Asia, a C.H. Alison clifftop design on the Izu Peninsula. Book the hotel and course together and you can walk one of the game's iconic seaside layouts.
How to book: Reserve through the Kawana Hotel (a Prince/Seibu resort); the Fuji Course is sold to in-house guests as part of a stay-and-play, and a caddie is mandatory. Book well ahead — weekends and the autumn Mount Fuji season fill months out. Overseas guests can arrange it directly with the hotel or through Japan golf tour operators.
About Kawana Hotel Golf Course — Fuji Course
Opened in 1936 to a design by the English architect Charles Hugh Alison, the Fuji Course drapes across a headland on the Izu Peninsula, its fairways rolling toward the Pacific with Mount Fuji framing the back nine. It is routinely ranked Japan's number-one course and one of the finest in the world, prized for Alison's dramatic bunkering and a thrilling seaside stretch. Access is deliberately exclusive: the course is open only to guests of the adjacent Kawana Hotel, so a stay-and-play booking is the sole realistic route in. For the travelling golfer it pairs a bucket-list layout with a grand pre-war resort, making the round as much an occasion as a game.
Signature hole
The par-5 15th tumbles downhill along the Pacific cliffs with the ocean on the right and Mount Fuji beyond — a hole regularly likened to Pebble Beach — while Alison's deep, artful bunkering defines the closing stretch.
What makes it special
Alison original
One of the few Charles Hugh Alison courses in the world still faithful to his 1930s design and famed bunkering.
Fuji and the Pacific
Ocean-cliff holes and views of Mount Fuji on the back nine give it a setting few courses on earth can match.
Hotel-guest exclusivity
Playable only by staying at the historic Kawana Hotel, so every round comes wrapped in a full resort stay.
Tournament pedigree
- World Amateur Team Championship — Eisenhower Trophy (1962)
- Fujisankei Classic (host venue in various years)
Need to know
Best time to play
Spring (April–May) and autumn (October–November) offer the clearest Mount Fuji views and mildest weather; summers are humid and the rainy season (June) is best avoided.
Dress code
Traditional Japanese club standards: collared shirt, tailored trousers, no denim; a jacket is expected in the clubhouse. Neat golf attire and soft spikes on course.
Good to know
Caddies are compulsory and add greatly to the experience; carts are used on the hilly terrain. Allow around five hours for a round, and expect a formal, ceremonial atmosphere typical of top Japanese clubs.
Upcoming golf tournaments
Prefer to watch the world’s best? Book tickets to an upcoming tournament, then add a hotel and flights.
Getting there
Nearest airports
Tokyo Haneda (HND) ~2–2.5 hrs by car; or Shinkansen to Atami then ~40 min transfer. Narita (NRT) is a longer alternative.
On arrival
Most travellers take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Atami or the JR line to Ito, then a 15–40 minute taxi to the Kawana headland. By car it is roughly 2–2.5 hours from central Tokyo down the Izu Peninsula. The hotel can arrange transfers.
Stay near the course
Stay at the historic Kawana Hotel itself — it is effectively compulsory, since only hotel guests may play the Fuji Course, and its cliff-edge setting is part of the experience. The resort also has the shorter Oshima Course for a second round.
★★★★ 4-starTap for live prices Kawana Hotel
Ito
★★★★★ 5-starTap for live prices Hanare No Yado Ryotei Kaiseki Soga
Ito
A taste of the luxury stays near Kawana Hotel Golf Course — Fuji Course — tap any hotel to see live availability and prices for your dates, or search them all.
Plan your golf trip
Frequently asked questions
Can visitors play the Kawana Fuji Course?
Only as guests of the Kawana Hotel. There is no public green-fee tee time — you book a room at the hotel and the Fuji Course is offered to in-house guests, so a stay-and-play reservation is essential.
How much does it cost to play?
Indicatively around ¥47,800–63,700 for the round (roughly US$300–430) depending on package, day and season, on top of your hotel stay, with a mandatory caddie. Treat pricing as approximate and confirm current rates when booking.
Do I need a handicap to play?
There is no strict handicap requirement, but this is a formal championship course with a traditional Japanese club etiquette and dress code, so it suits reasonably experienced golfers.
When is the best time to visit?
Spring and autumn deliver the clearest Mount Fuji views and the most comfortable playing conditions; avoid the June rainy season and humid midsummer.
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Green fees, access rules and tee-time policies change frequently and vary by season. The figures here are indicative for trip planning — always confirm on the official site before booking.
- Kawana Fuji Course — Prince Golf Resorts (official)
- Kawana Hotel — Fuji Course, Top100GolfCourses
- Kawana Hotel Golf Course — JNTO Japan Golf
Guide updated 2026-07-27.