The favourite course of many a Japanese golfer, this Charles Alison-designed beauty sits on a rippled promontory on the Izu Peninsula, about 60 miles southwest of Tokyo.
Marvellous Pacific views are a distraction, as is the backdrop of Mount Fuji throughout the back nine, but what draws serious golfers is the quality of the course, made up of folded fairways and plateau greens that have been challenging the country’s best since it opened in 1936.
The course is 15 minutes by car from JR Ito Station; 40 minutes from JR Atami Station. Book your tee time well in advance.
The course is open all year round. It’s best played in spring and autumn, when temperatures are ideal. The strict booking protocols mean when it’s your turn to play there won’t be any delays.
Round-ups that include this experience
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Inspiration
Spectacular landscapes, impeccable fairways and greens, brilliantly-designed holes and plenty of golfing folklore – we asked golf expert and journalist Fionn Davenport to recommend his top 30 golf courses from around the world.