Tokyo Golf Day Trips: The Best Courses Within 90 Minutes of the City
From Chiba woodland layouts to Mount Fuji backdrops in Shizuoka, some of Japan's finest golf is within 90 minutes of central Tokyo. Here is how to plan the perfect day trip.
PGT Team 路 22 Mar 2026 路 11 min read
Tokyo is one of the world's great golf cities. Over 2,300 courses sit within the greater Kanto and surrounding regions, and some of Japan's most celebrated layouts are within 90 minutes of the city centre by car or train. For visiting golfers based in Tokyo, whether for a few days or a few weeks, a day trip to a quality course outside the city is one of the best decisions you can make.
This guide covers the three main directions worth considering, what you will find in each area, how long it takes to get there, and how to turn a round of golf into a complete and memorable day out. All courses listed are accessible to foreign visitors through Play Golf Tokyo, either as semi-private bookings or through member introductions.
Why a Golf Day Trip from Tokyo Makes Sense
Golf within Tokyo itself is limited and expensive. The courses that exist inside the city boundaries are compact, heavily booked, and rarely represent the quality that Japan's broader golf landscape offers. Step outside the metropolitan area and the picture changes completely.
Within 90 minutes you can reach mature woodland layouts in Chiba, championship parkland courses in Kanagawa, and the Mount Fuji backdrop of the Shizuoka courses that have hosted international professional tournaments. The green fees at these courses are often comparable to what you would pay at a mid-range Tokyo venue, and the quality of the golf, the caddie experience, and the course conditioning is in a different class entirely.
A round in Japan also follows a full-day rhythm. Tee times start between 7:30 and 8:30 AM, a set lunch is served between the front and back nine, and you are typically finished by mid-afternoon. With an early start from Tokyo, you can be back in the city comfortably by early evening. For business travellers with a free day, or tourists building golf around sightseeing, the format works exceptionally well.
Chiba: Woodland Courses 60 Minutes South
Chiba Prefecture stretches south and east of Tokyo across the Boso Peninsula and contains one of the highest concentrations of golf courses in Japan. The terrain, gently rolling woodland hills with mature tree cover, produces a style of course that is distinctly different from open parkland or links golf. Fairways are tight, approach shots demand precision, and the forest setting gives rounds a sense of seclusion that you would not expect given the proximity to one of the world's largest cities.
The drive from central Tokyo to most Chiba courses takes between 50 and 75 minutes via the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line or the Ken-O Expressway, depending on traffic and which part of the prefecture you are heading to. Early morning departures avoid congestion and allow comfortable arrival before an 8 AM tee time.
King's Fields Golf Club, Ichihara
At 7,133 yards with a slope rating of 131, King's Fields Golf Club is one of the most complete championship experiences available to foreign visitors within an hour of Tokyo. Designed by Benz and Poullot Golf Course Architects and opened in 1985, the course has hosted six consecutive Japan professional tour events and the 44th Japan Women's Pro Golf Championship. Caddie and cart are included in the green fee, and foreign credit cards are accepted. Both member accompaniment and introduction routes are available through Play Golf Tokyo. For a full breakdown of the course, read our complete King's Fields guide.
What to combine with Chiba golf
The Boso Peninsula offers coastal scenery and seafood that pair naturally with a morning round. Katsuura is known for its fish market, active on weekend mornings, and sits about 40 minutes beyond Ichihara. If you are staying in Tokyo an extra night, a round at King's Fields followed by a coastal lunch and an early train back makes a genuinely satisfying day.
Kanagawa: Quality Golf Between Tokyo and Hakone
Kanagawa Prefecture sits directly southwest of Tokyo and contains a range of excellent courses spread between the coastal lowlands near Yokohama and the foothills leading toward Hakone and the Fuji region. Travel times from central Tokyo run between 45 minutes and 90 minutes depending on destination, and the range of course styles is broader than Chiba, from rolling parkland to more exposed hillside layouts with views toward the coast or the mountains.
For golfers who want to combine a round with a visit to Hakone's hot springs, art museums, or views of Mount Fuji from the lakeside, a Kanagawa course provides a natural halfway point. Play a morning round, drive 30 to 40 minutes further west, and spend the afternoon in Hakone before returning to Tokyo in the evening.
What to combine with Kanagawa golf
Hakone is one of the most popular day trip destinations from Tokyo in its own right. The Hakone Open Air Museum, Owakudani volcanic valley, and Lake Ashi offer a full afternoon of sightseeing after an early round. The ryokan culture around Hakone also makes this the natural choice if you want to extend the trip to an overnight, adding an onsen stay after a day on the course.
Shizuoka: Mount Fuji and the Gotemba Courses
The Gotemba area of Shizuoka Prefecture sits on the eastern slopes of Mount Fuji, approximately 90 minutes from central Tokyo by car via the Tomei Expressway, or 60 minutes by Shinkansen to Mishima with a connecting shuttle. The courses here occupy a different category from Chiba and Kanagawa: this is destination golf, built around the extraordinary setting and the tournament history that the Fuji foothills have accumulated over five decades of professional play.
The altitude at Gotemba affects how the game plays. Ball flight is slightly longer than at sea-level courses, wind patterns differ from what urban golfers are used to, and the temperature can be several degrees cooler than Tokyo even in summer. These are all factors that make the caddie's local knowledge particularly valuable, and that give a round here a quality of experience that you simply cannot replicate closer to the city.
Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course
Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course is the most celebrated course in this area and one of the most storied tournament venues in Japanese golf. Opened in 1977, completely renovated in 2018 by Rees Jones under the supervision of Hideki Matsuyama, and the long-running host of the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters, this is the course where Tiger Woods holed a chip shot for eagle on the 18th hole during the 2001 WGC World Cup. Member accompaniment or introduction is required. For complete details on the course, pricing, and access, read our full Taiheiyo Gotemba guide.
What to combine with Gotemba golf
Gotemba Premium Outlets sits at the base of Mount Fuji and is one of Japan's largest outlet shopping centres, a popular stop for the journey back to Tokyo. The Fuji Speedway is nearby for motorsport enthusiasts. And for golfers who want to extend the trip, the Fuji Five Lakes area to the north offers ryokan stays with direct views of the mountain, making a one-night golf trip a natural proposition.
How to Plan Your Day Trip
A successful Tokyo golf day trip comes down to three practical decisions: direction, timing, and transport.
Choosing your direction
Chiba is the easiest and most accessible option for first-time visitors. The courses are excellent, the drive is straightforward, and the booking logistics through Play Golf Tokyo are well-established. Kanagawa is the right choice if you want to combine golf with Hakone sightseeing or a night at a hot spring inn. Shizuoka is for golfers who want the best course in the region and are prepared to commit to a full day, including the longer travel each way.
Getting your timing right
Target tee times between 7:30 and 8:30 AM. This means leaving central Tokyo between 6:00 and 7:00 AM depending on your destination, which is manageable from most central hotels. Japanese courses run on time, lunch is served between the nines, and a morning tee time puts you back in Tokyo by 4:00 to 5:00 PM. Cherry blossom season (late March through April) and autumn foliage (October through November) are the most popular periods. Book six to eight weeks in advance for these windows. Outside peak season, three to four weeks is usually sufficient.
Getting there
Driving gives the most flexibility, particularly for Chiba courses where public transport connections are limited. Play Golf Tokyo can arrange direct transfers from your Tokyo hotel for golfers who prefer not to rent a car. For Gotemba, the Shinkansen to Mishima combined with the club shuttle is a comfortable and punctual alternative to driving. For Kanagawa courses near the Hakone corridor, the Odakyu Romance Car from Shinjuku is a scenic and practical option that puts you in the area within 90 minutes.
馃挕 Day trip tip: Pack your bag the night before and confirm your tee time 48 hours in advance. Japanese golf culture takes punctuality seriously, and clubs appreciate a confirmation call. If you are unsure what to bring or how check-in works, Play Golf Tokyo briefs every guest before their round.
Booking as a Foreign Visitor
The most important thing to understand about Tokyo golf day trips is that the best courses require either a member introduction or accompaniment, and cannot be booked by calling the club directly as an unknown foreign visitor. This is not unique to one or two courses: it applies to the majority of quality semi-private and private clubs across Chiba, Kanagawa, and Shizuoka.
Play Golf Tokyo exists specifically to solve this. We hold the member relationships across all three regions that allow foreign visitors to access courses that would otherwise be unavailable to them. When you book through us, we handle the introduction, confirm the tee time, brief you on the specific club's dress code and arrival procedure, and arrange transfers if needed.
For a complete explanation of how course booking works in Japan, including what types of access exist, what pricing typically includes, and what to bring on the day, read our complete guide to booking golf in Japan as a foreign visitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far are the best golf courses from central Tokyo?
The best courses for a Tokyo golf day trip sit between 60 and 90 minutes from central Tokyo by car. Chiba courses like King's Fields in Ichihara are around 60 to 70 minutes. Kanagawa courses toward Hakone are 60 to 80 minutes. The Gotemba courses in Shizuoka are approximately 90 minutes by car or 60 minutes by Shinkansen to Mishima, plus the club shuttle.
Do I need a car to play golf near Tokyo?
Not necessarily. Many Shizuoka courses operate shuttle services from Shinkansen stations. Play Golf Tokyo can arrange transfers from your Tokyo hotel directly to the course for any of the regions covered in this guide. Some Kanagawa courses are accessible by a combination of train and taxi. Chiba courses are the least accessible by public transport and are best reached by car or arranged transfer.
What time should I tee off for a Tokyo golf day trip?
Aim for a tee time between 7:30 and 8:30 AM. This allows for a full round with the traditional lunch break between the nines and puts you back in Tokyo by late afternoon. Leaving central Tokyo by 6:30 AM gives comfortable travel time for most destinations covered in this guide.
Can I combine a golf day trip with sightseeing?
Yes, and this is one of the best things about the courses in each region. A round in Chiba pairs naturally with coastal seafood on the Boso Peninsula. A Kanagawa round can be followed by an afternoon in Hakone. A Shizuoka round at Gotemba sits alongside Fuji Five Lakes, Gotemba Premium Outlets, and the option of an onsen stay if you extend to one night.
Ready to plan your Tokyo golf day trip? Play Golf Tokyo arranges access to courses across Chiba, Kanagawa, and Shizuoka, handling member introductions, tee times, and transfers in English. Get in touch to build a day trip around your schedule and preferred course style.
