Fuji at Kawana Hotel Golf Course

Fuji Course at Kawana Hotel is where Japan embraced championship golf, its rolling fairways a testament to a bygone era of understated elegance amid the country's dramatic coastline. Carved into the cliffs overlooking the Sagami Bay, this classic design, while not demanding excessive length, presents strategic challenges that reward thoughtful shot-making, often playing with prevailing sea breezes and sharp doglegs that require golfers to shape the ball with precision. Its terrain favors players who can manage uneven lies and elevated greens, where the wind's influence is most pronounced.

Designed by Charles H. Alison in the Golden Age of golf architecture, Fuji Course has remained largely untouched, a relic of its time. While subtle modifications have been made to greens complexes and tee boxes over the years, they retain the course's original character and strategic intent. The course itself is not known for hosting top professional events, it retains its prestige for its role in shaping golf’s history in Japan.

Kawana is a retreat as much as it is a golf course, historically drawing a discerning membership from captains of industry and influential figures seeking respite and recreation. The hotel's enduring presence, with its art deco architecture and serene atmosphere, complements the golfing experience, offering a sense of stepping back into a more relaxed age where the game was celebrated for its traditions and camaraderie, as much as the competition. The clubhouse is known for a humble, local delicacy: a simple curry rice dish, a surprising culinary tradition amidst the otherwise luxurious surroundings.