On the northern slopes of Mt. Fuji, in Yamanashi’s Narusawa Village, sit two golf courses with similar names and almost neighboring locations.
Look at a map, and they are barely ten minutes apart. Step onto the fairways, and you’ll feel as if you’ve crossed into two entirely different worlds.
Narusawa Golf Club
- Opened: 1992
Opened: 1992
- Designer: Mitsuaki Kobayashi
Designer: Mitsuaki Kobayashi
- Holes: 18 / Par 72
Holes: 18 / Par 72
- Play Style: Walking only, no carts (typical of Japan’s top “A-Class” courses)
Play Style: Walking only, no carts (typical of Japan’s top “A-Class” courses)
- Highlights: A prestigious, private members-only club known for immaculate course management and fast greens. Built on volcanic ash soil from Mt. Fuji, offering excellent drainage and consistently firm playing conditions, even after rain. Demands precision short game skills due to fast greens and well-protected approaches.
Highlights:
- A prestigious, private members-only club known for immaculate course management and fast greens.
A prestigious, private members-only club known for immaculate course management and fast greens.
- Built on volcanic ash soil from Mt. Fuji, offering excellent drainage and consistently firm playing conditions, even after rain.
Built on volcanic ash soil from Mt. Fuji, offering excellent drainage and consistently firm playing conditions, even after rain.
- Demands precision short game skills due to fast greens and well-protected approaches.
Demands precision short game skills due to fast greens and well-protected approaches.
- Atmosphere: Quiet, formal, and built for serious golf. Closed to the public; access typically requires a member’s invitation or booking through specialized golf tour agencies.
Atmosphere:
- Quiet, formal, and built for serious golf.
Quiet, formal, and built for serious golf.
- Closed to the public; access typically requires a member’s invitation or booking through specialized golf tour agencies.
Closed to the public; access typically requires a member’s invitation or booking through specialized golf tour agencies.
Forest Narusawa Golf & Country Club
- Opened: 1999
Opened: 1999
- Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
- Play Style: Riding carts (allowed on fairways), open to the public
Play Style: Riding carts (allowed on fairways), open to the public
- Highlights: Wide fairways, open views, and a resort-style design perfect for relaxing play. Robert Trent Jones Jr. is famous for integrating landscapes into his layouts, and here, nearly every tee box frames Mt. Fuji. Well-versed in hosting international guests, with multilingual service available.
- Wide fairways, open views, and a resort-style design perfect for relaxing play.
Wide fairways, open views, and a resort-style design perfect for relaxing play.
- Robert Trent Jones Jr. is famous for integrating landscapes into his layouts, and here, nearly every tee box frames Mt. Fuji.
Robert Trent Jones Jr. is famous for integrating landscapes into his layouts, and here, nearly every tee box frames Mt. Fuji.
- Well-versed in hosting international guests, with multilingual service available.
Well-versed in hosting international guests, with multilingual service available.
- Atmosphere: Casual and welcoming, ideal for a golf vacation with friends or a first-time round in Japan.
- Casual and welcoming, ideal for a golf vacation with friends or a first-time round in Japan.
Casual and welcoming, ideal for a golf vacation with friends or a first-time round in Japan.
Close, Yet Different
Less than a ten-minute drive separates these two courses.One is a refined, members-only sanctuary of precision and tradition.The other is an open, resort-style course where Mt. Fuji’s beauty is always in sight.In Narusawa, whether you seek the challenge of elite competition or the joy of a relaxed round, you’ll find the perfect fairway.
Narusawa Golf Course Comparison Table
Category
Narusawa Golf Club
Forest Narusawa Golf & Country Club
Opened
1992
1999
Designer
Mitsuaki Kobayashi
Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Holes
18 / Par 72
Play Style
Walking only, no carts
Riding carts (on fairways)
Public Access
Members-only, invitation or special arrangement
Open to public, online or tour booking
Course Character
Fast greens, strict maintenance, highly challenging
Wide fairways, scenic views, relaxed play
Scenic Features
Mt. Fuji as the backdrop to serious competition
Nearly every tee box offers Mt. Fuji views
Best For
Experienced players seeking precision and challenge
Tourists, leisure golfers, first-time Japan players
Booking Difficulty
High
Low
