A visitor's guide

Golf in Japan,
made simple.

Playing a round in Japan is one of the best things you can do on a trip here — but the booking sites, the lunch break between nines, and the clubhouse etiquette can be confusing the first time. This is a plain-English guide to doing it right, written from the ground up for visitors. ※Always confirm prices and rules on each course's official page.

A golfer teeing off on a Japanese golf course under a clear blue sky

Japan golf, in 30 seconds

Quick facts
  • 💴 Green fees
    Roughly ¥8,000–15,000 on weekdays; higher on weekends and holidays. Often includes lunch and use of the bath.
  • 🍱 The lunch break
    Most 18-hole rounds split into two nines with a ~45–60 min lunch stop in the clubhouse. It's normal, not optional.
  • 👕 Dress code
    Collared shirt, no denim. Many clubs expect a jacket on arrival in cooler months. Change into golf shoes in the locker room.
  • 🚕 Getting there
    Most courses are outside cities. Rent a car, or take a train + free "club bus" from the nearest station.
  • 🏌️ Rental clubs
    Available at most courses — reserve online in advance so you can travel light.
  • 💳 Tipping
    Not expected. Pay the total at the front desk after your round.

Start here

The guides

Ready to book

Reservation partners

These are the largest tee-time platforms in Japan. Rakuten GORA and Jalan Golf list thousands of courses with real-time availability. Pages are mainly in Japanese — see our booking guide for a step-by-step, and use your browser's translate feature to navigate.

Rakuten GORA ↗ Jalan Golf ↗