ESSENCE OF JAPAN
12 DAYS | 5 ROUNDS OF GOLF | 4 EXPERIENCES | WELCOME & FAREWELL DINNERS
Hotels run by robots, talking toilets, the world’s fastest trains, and spotlessly clean streets. In many ways, Japan is already living in the future.
Japan is truly timeless, a place where ancient traditions are fused with modern life as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Golf tours in Japan will teach you it’s just as thrilling to softly wander hushed shrines and serene gardens as it is to explore neon-lit city streets.
Japan is a nation of samurai castles and Zen Buddhist temples on the one hand, and bullet trains racing through neon-tinted futuristic cityscapes on the other.
In past decades, it was fairly expensive to play golf in Japan with the biggest hurdle for foreign visitors without Japanese golfing knowledge is the difficulty of making reservations at golf courses. Signs and rules on the course are usually written only in Japanese, and most staff members at the golf clubs do not speak English all of which Golf Travel Tours has taken into consideration and taken care of.
Playing a round of golf in Japan is typically an all-day event with a lunch break of around one hour between the first and second halves of the course.
Tour Highlights
- Best Golf Courses – Japan is as unique as the country itself. Across the more than 6,852 islands – including the four main islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu – there are no less than 2,349 golf courses, varying from revered top-100 courses to riverside pitch and putts. Some Japanese golf courses have automatic, radio-controlled robot caddies that move golf bags from hole to hole on monorails.
- Tokyo – Tokyo may as well be the definition of the word ‘city’. Tokyo dazzles with its traditional culture and passion for everything new.
- Hakone – Offering serene onsen, world-class art museums, traditional inns and spectacular mountain scenery crowned by Mt Fuji.
- Kyoto – The former capital city of Japan and world-famous for its refined culture, dining, and charm of rural Japan.
- Osaka –There are plenty of things to do and its regional food culture is one of the most well-known in Japan.
Itinerary
DAY ONE – – International outbound flight
Today your adventure begins, by boarding your international outbound flight to Adelaide.
DAY TWO – Arrive in Tokyo
Arrive at Narita/Haneda (Tokyo) airport, meet and greet with and transferred to your hotel Check-in Hotel and Orientation with this evenings Welcome dinner.
✅ Welcome Dinner
DAY THREE -Golf at Glen Oaks Country Club
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Glen Oaks Country Club.
Play the first 9 holes, then lunch at the clubhouse (included) play 2nd 9 holes After the round, transfer back to the hotel. With 18 holes and a total length of 6,972 yards, the Glenoaks Country Club course was made for truly enjoying golf.
✅ Breakfast ✅ Golf ✅ Lunch ✅ Transfers
DAY FOUR – Full day guided tour of Tokyo
Explore Tokyo’s historical sites, romantic places, and some of the other unique places that make this city so special.
From historical sites to the Tokyo of the future, there is lots to see and do.
✅ Breakfast ✅ Tour ✅ Transfers
DAY FIVE – Golf at Hakone Country Club
Breakfast at Hotel Check-out of the hotel, and transfer to Hakone Country Club.
Play 1st 9 holes, then enjoy lunch at the clubhouse after 1st 9 holes (included). Play the 2nd 9 holes, and in the afternoon transfer to Kawana Hotel Check-in, and enjoy a free evening.
Set in the middle of picturesque Hakone Highland, the club is uniquely gifted with a surprisingly vast variety of fauna and flora as well as the hot springs that the region is famous for.
The course has hosted the Japan Women’s Open in 2002 as well as other premier tournaments over the years.
✅ Breakfast ✅ Golf ✅ Lunch ✅ Transfers
DAY SIX – Golf at Kawana Fuji Course
After breakfast at the hotel, it’s time to check out, and play 18 holes at Kawana Fuji course.
After the round, you will be transferred to Atami train Station to board a high-speed train to Nagoya station by Shinkansen, from here we then transfer to Ise by bus, Check-in to the Shima Kanko Hotel and tonight enjoy dinner at Hotel (included)
Hosting the Fuji-Sankei Ladies Classic Tournament in April every year, the course baffles even the top professionals of the game.
The course must be walked with a caddie, and it is a real pleasure to enjoy the magnificent scenery unfolding itself with every step you take, facing the challenges of this highly difficult course.
✅ Breakfast ✅ Golf ✅ Evening dinner ✅ Transfers
DAY SEVEN – Sightseeing in Ise Shima
Ise Shima is best known for Ise Jingu, the holiest of all jinja (Shinto shrines) in all of Japan’s thousands of shrines.
The ria coastline embraces about 60 islands, both large and small, with waters that continue to bless us with wonderful produce from the sea.
For 2,000 years, the pick of the catch has been offered to gods at Ise Jingu and to the Imperial Court.
✅ Breakfast ✅ Tour ✅ Transfers
DAY EIGHT – Golf at Ise Country Club
After Breakfast at the hotel, its time to play the Hakone Country Club. Play 1st 9 holes, then enjoy lunch at the clubhouse after 1st 9 holes (included).
Play the 2nd 9 holes, and in the afternoon transfer to Kyoto Hotel Okura. Check-in, and enjoy a free evening. The strategic design of this course makes use of its hills, and it is counted as one of the masterpieces of Seiichi Inoue, the master course designer.
Its broad fairway and layout making use of the terrain truly motivate players to face the course’s challenges.
✅ Breakfast ✅ Golf ✅ Transfers
DAY NINE -Full day Kyoto day tour
Spend a full day discovering the best sights Kyoto has to offer, including grand castles and sacred temples. These spectacular attractions make your time in Kyoto an unforgettable experience.
Continue your journey with a stop at Kinkaku-ji—also called the Temple of the Golden Pavilion—a Buddhist Japanese temple with a famously exquisite Japanese-style garden. Founded in 1397, the top 2 levels of this elegant structure are adorned with intricate gold-leaf gilding that is sure to dazzle.
Travel next to the ancient Kyoto Imperial Palace, the home of the imperial family for over 1,000 years, which has been preserved since the time of Japan’s ancient dynasties. Break and enjoy a delicious buffet lunch.
✅ Breakfast ✅ Tour ✅ Transfers
DAY TEN – Sightseeing in Osaka & Nara
After Breakfast at the hotel, Check-out and we transfer to Osaka by road.
Upon arrival enjoy a sightseeing tour of Osaka and Nara (lunch included). After sightseeing check-in ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel, Osaka, and enjoy a free evening.
✅ Breakfast ✅ Tour ✅ Lunch ✅ Transfers
DAY ELEVEN – Golf at Osaka Golf Club
After Breakfast at the hotel, it’s time to play the Osaka Golf Club. Play 1st 9 holes, then enjoy lunch at the clubhouse after 1st 9 holes (included).
Play the 2nd 9 holes, transfer back to the hotel and enjoy a free evening. The course was opened in 1938. Osaka Golf Club is the only seaside championship course in Kansai region as well as Kawana, Fuji Course in Kanto region.
It became famous as one of the most difficult course in Japan, and the Kansai Professional Golf Championship was held in 1939. Because of the Pacific War, the course was closed from 1944 to the end of the war. Construction for the resumption began in 1952 and the course was opened in October of the same year with only 9 holes. The remaining 9 holes were completed in 1953.
✅ Breakfast ✅ Golf ✅ Transfers
DAY TWELVE – Flight to the UK
After breakfast, check-out, You will be collected at the hotel and transferred to Kansai International airport for your flight to the UK
✅ Breakfast ✅ International flight
Departure Dates and Prices
Wed 25 May 2022 | London (Heathrow) | £7,499.00 | Available | ||
Wed 06 May 2023 | London (Heathrow) | £7,899.00 | Available | ||
Golf Courses On This tour
Glenoaks Country Club
The overall distance is relatively short, but it has a highly strategic layout. Especially at the seventh hole, players must decide which fairway to aim for in order to gain a better angle for the next shot onto the green, which has a grass bunker in front of it.
The greens are relatively large in size, averaging 800 square meters, and are considerably undulated. It is easier to reach the green in regulation, but the stats for the total number of putts may suffer. The green undulation makes the shot pressure higher and demands accurate iron shots. Accuracy will be the number one key for a better score.
Hakone Country Club
Set in the middle of picturesque Hakone Highland, the club is uniquely gifted with a surprisingly vast variety of fauna and flora as well as the hot springs that the region is famous for.
The club was founded in 1954 and was designed by Shiro Akahoshi, a renowned golf architect in Japan, who inherited golf design philosophy from Alister MacKenzie. The course has hosted the Japan Women’s Open in 2002 as well as other premier tournaments.
Hakone Hot Spring Supply Company acquired the land in 1933 and began selling lots for vacation homes. In the early 1950s, the plan evolved into building a golf course and seventy-eight prominent businessmen were invited to help set up the club.
The founders invited former Japanese Amateur Champion Shiro Akaboshi to be their architect. Shiro had worked with C.H. Alison when he visited the country in 1930 to work on Tokyo Golf Club so he was well versed in sound design theory and construction know-how.
Hakone Country Club’s course was the first that Shiro Akahoshi designed as a professional architect after World War II and he considered it the best accomplishment of his career, playing a lot at the club late in his life.
Kawana Fuji Course
There are two courses on the Izu Peninsula at the Kawana Resort and the Fuji course is universally considered to be the best.
The Fuji course is the younger of the two courses at Kawana and it was designed by Charles Alison, opening for play in 1936. It’s laid out on a ripped elevated promontory and it’s the favorite course of many Japanese golfers. With breathtaking Pacific Ocean views from the cliff tops, sunken folded fairways, and plateaux greens surrounded by mature woodland and Mount Fuji as the backcloth, it’s easy to see why this course is so popular. The Fuji is the most expensive green fee in Japan, with a back nine containing some of the best and most scenic holes in Japanese golf
Many golf tournaments have been held on the Fuji course and the most memorable one would be the World Amateur Golf Team Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy held in 1962. And recently, it has been the site of the well-known Fuji Sankei Classic.
The 11th hole is a 568-yard par-five – the longest hole on the Fuji Course – and Mt Fuji can be seen to the left. An interesting feature of this hole is that the green is at the foot of the lighthouse. If you glance at the lighthouse, you will immediately notice that it’s shaped like a tee peg. This and a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean is a feature of this course.
The 15th is a 415-yard downhill par five with beautiful scenery that is very reminiscent of Pebble Beach in California. The unsuspecting golfer will soon discover the undulating fairway as it extends along the sea and this hole is often singled out as one of the most difficult and challenging.
The par three 16th measures 172 yards but although short in length, it is perhaps the hardest hole on the course because the green is on the top of the small hill. Owing to its shape, we call it “Battery Green”. The 17th is a 388-yard par four and a real feature of this hole are some very deep and extremely challenging bunkers known as “Alison Bunkers” – named after the architect.
Ise Country Club
Designed by Seiichi Inoue in the mid-1960s, the course at Ise is set out on gently undulating terrain on the outskirts of the city, where the dual green system favored by so many clubs in Japan still holds sway.
Water comes into play occasionally, most notably at three of the four par-three holes, but the main hazards here are the trees lining the fairways which can in places impinge on the play.
Feature holes include the right doglegged par four 2nd, the left doglegged 6th, and the par-three 9th – probably the signature hole on the course – which is played across a large irrigation pond to a peninsula green complex. On the back nine, the 453-yard 12th is not only the second-longest par four on the card, it’s also considered the second toughest hole.
Osaka Golf Club
Located about an hour’s drive from Osaka, the course actually lies closer to the city of Wakayama. It’s here, on the cliff tops above Osaka Bay, that holes were routed across a tight parcel of land by Osamu Ueda back in 1937 and the sparkling waters of the bay can be seen from many vantage points on the tree-lined fairways.
The 396-yard 7th is a feature hole on the front nine, where golfers fire their tee shot across a small pond to a fairway which then veers 45 degrees left to a triangular-shaped green. This putting surface, like those at holes 1, 3 and 4 on the front nine, sits close to the edge of the coastline.
On the back nine, the very short 14th hole plays along the boundary of the property, next to the road that separates the course from the sea, and it begins a rather unusual sequence of five holes that conclude a round at Osaka with par values of 3-5-3-5-3. A somewhat bizarre configuration perhaps, but there’s no doubt the holes exactly fit the lie of the land.
Accommodation (as specified or similar )
ANA InterContinental Tokyo- Classic Room
Stay in the heart of Tokyo at the ANA InterContinental is located in Tokyo’s Ark Hills, a minute’s walk from Tameike-sanno and Roppongi-itchome Subway Stations. The hotel houses 844 guest rooms, 12 dining options and 22 event halls.
The guest rooms at Tokyo ANA InterContinental offer choice of views of Tokyo Tower, Imperial Gardens or Roppongi district. All rooms are fitted with a seating area with a flat-screen TV, a work desk and a safety deposit box.
The hotel’s 20 yards outdoor pool is open during the summer months. Guests can lounge on the deck chairs at the poolside or get a workout at Ka-Tsu, the 24-hour fitness centre on site.
The Michelin-starred Pierre Gagnaire serves authentic French specialties with views of Tokyo Towes as a backdrop. Other dining options include Japanese, Chinese and authentic steaks at The Steakhouse. In the evening, award-winning cocktails are served at MIXX on the highest floor of the hotel.
The hotel is a walking distance from Tokyo Tower, Imperial Palace and The Diet, the seat of Japanese government. Guests can take an Airport Limousine Bus directly from the airport to the hotel. Narita International Airport is a 90-minute ride and Haneda Airport is a 45-minute ride away.
Kawana Hotel- Deluxe Room
Renovated in 1995, the Kawana Hotel guarantees guests a pleasant stay whether in Shizuoka for business or pleasure. The hotel lies 10KM from the city center and provides accessibility to important town facilities. With its convenient location, the hotel offers easy access to the city’s must-see destinations.
Offering hotel guests superior services and a broad range of amenities, Kawana Hotel is committed to ensuring that your stay is as comfortable as possible. While lodging at this wonderful property, guests can enjoy Wi-Fi in public areas, car park, room service, restaurant, tours.
Experience high quality room facilities during your stay here. Some rooms include television LCD/plasma screen, slippers, towels, air conditioning, heating, provided to help guests recharge after a long day. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or are just looking for a way to unwind after a hard day, you will be entertained by top-class recreational facilities such as sauna, golf course (on site), outdoor pool, massage, kids club. Kawana Hotel is a smart choice for travelers to Shizuoka, offering a relaxed and hassle-free stay every time.
ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Osaka,- Club Moderate room room
Stay in the heart of Osaka overlooking the Dojima River, at the 5 star ANA Crowne Plaza offers rooms with sweeping city views and free Wi-Fi. The hotel features a swimming pool and 6 food and beverage options.
Rooms at the ANA Crowne Plaza Osaka are spacious, with comfortable colours and soft lighting. All include a minibar and a flat-screen TV .
The hotel is a 3-minute walk from Oebashi Train Station. Osaka Castle and Dotonbori Shopping Street are a 15-minute taxi ride away.
Guests can relax with a spa treatment or unwind in the sauna. All guests have access to the 24-hour fitness room for free. Sightseeing is easy with the concierge and tour desk.
Nishi-Umeda Station on the Subway Tosubashi Line is a 7-minute stroll from the hotel. Kitashinchi Station on the JR Tozai Line is a 5-minute walk from ANA Crowne Plaza Osaka. Karin Chinese Restaurant offers modern Cantonese cuisine in an elegant setting. Japanese dishes are served at Tankuma Kitamise and Dojima Teppanyaki. A cafe and bar are available. The Delica Shop on site offers a selection of rich cakes and chocolates for guests to take out.
Shima Kanko Hotel The Classic- Comfort room
Renovated in 2016, Shima Kanko Hotel The Classic was the venue for G7 Ise-Shima Summit 2016. The hotel is located in Ise-Shima National Park and overlooks Ago Bay on the renowned Rias coast. The hotel offers free WiFi access and a lounge with complimentary drinks and snacks. Guests can enjoy free access to an on-site fitness centre.
Rooms at Shima Kanko Hotel The Classic are fitted with a TV, fridge, air purifier/humidifier and hairdryer. Slippers are provided for your comfort.
Guests can relax with a massage or purchase souvenirs at the gift shop. The hotel features an enormous Japanese garden featuring wild birds, and offers beautiful Ago Bay sunsets.
La Mer the Classic Restaurant served authentic French seafood dishes.
Shima Kanko Hotel The Classic is a 20-minute drive from theme park Shima Spain Mura (Spain Village), and 40-minute drive away from Ise Jingu Shrine and Toba Aquarium.
Kyoto hotel Okura- Deluxe room
Stay in the heart of Kyoto at the hotel Okura’s elegant rooms boast spectacular views of Kyoto against the backdrop of the Higashiyama Mountains. In the heart of the city, the hotel treats its guests to a shopping avenue, free Wi-Fi at the lobby and concierge services. Beauty treatments and baby-sitting services are available.
Connected to the Shiyakusho-mae Subway Station, Okura Hotel is a 5-minute walk from Honno-ji Temple, and a 10-minute walk from Kyoto International Manga Museum. The Takashimaya department store in the shopping district of Shijo Kawaramachi is a 12-minute stroll away.
Guests can browse a variety of boutiques at Shopping Avenue Comfort, which includes a hairdresser and a jewellery shop. Okura Hotel offers a charged indoor swimming pool and free parking. A free shuttle and charged luggage delivery is provided to/from its Welcome Lounge at JR Kyoto Station.
Luxurious rooms feature neutral colours, extra long beds, a flat-screen TV and a seating area. Guests can lounge in their yukata robe or bathrobe, with drinks from the minibar. Free high-speed wired internet is provided.
Boasting panoramic mountain and city views, Sky Restaurant Pittoresque serves French cuisine and wines from its own wine cellar. Kyoto Hotel Okura houses a bakery and a variety of restaurants, including a top-floor buffet restaurant and Kyoto cuisine.
