APAN GOLF TOUR REPORT 2024
It’s only in the recent past that Japan has opened up to tourists, so it’s not surprising that its a popular place to visit. We started our tour in the Prefecture where Japan’s first golf course was opened, just outside Kobe, now brimming with over 120 courses. Our first introduction to golf in Japan was at Golden Valley, a stunning course (above). Carts on Japan courses are for four persons and are ‘automatic’ and driverless. You sit in the cart, press the button and press again to stop! The other difference is that a stop after 9 holes is mandatory and lunch is taken in the interim and a second tee time is given to start off 10.
Kobe beef was the main menu item at our welcome dinner, when chefs cooked dinner in front of us. The next two golf courses, Hanayashiki and Takamuroike presented challenges, interspersed with a visit down to Hiroshima. The transport there and back was on a bullet train which whisked us there with great speed. The time at Hiroshima was sobering, A quote in the museum there was poignant – ‘we must never let leaders lead us into war again’.
We moved onto Lake Biwa and played the Seta North golf course, a LPGA US pro tour course. The next day we visited Kyoto and its temples, gardens and city. Another bullet train ride took us to Kawana, a golf resort on a peninsula which overlooks Mt Fuji. The two courses here are two of the best in Japan and the hotel traditional and quaint. It was now time to move to our final stop of Tokyo. The crowds were out on our city tour, but the view from the top of the Tokyo tower whilst hazy showed the size of the city. Our final round of golf was at Isumi, quite away from the city but a lovely country course. The journey proved interesting, traveling both under and over the ocean! Our farewell dinner was a spectacular affair, where we enjoyed a full Japanese dinner in style. On the way to the airport for our flight home, our final activity in Tokyo was a Tea Ceremony.
Congratulations to David Bridges who won the golf tournament.
This was a great tour that highlighted Japan. If you would like to experience Japan, please indicate so on our survey in the newsletter, as we would love to run another trip to Japan!
Some photos of the trip are in an album on the Golf Encounters Facebook page. Have a look at them here.
