Asia
Japan
About
Japan has so much to offer visitors. From the bustling big cities and high speed bullet trains through to peaceful bamboo forests and relaxing onsens, Japan offers an unforgettable experience. Make the trip truely unique by playing disc golf in the land of the rising sun.
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Why Visit?
Japan is often a bucket list country for many because what you see and do here is so unique from any other country. Tokyo, with the millions of people, assaulting noise and bright lights, can show her other side in peaceful city spaces wandering through cherry blossoms floating on the breeze. Japan has delicious food, spectactular scenery, ancient castles as well as many weird and wonderful traditions that you'll discover travelling through the islands. Majestic Mt Fiji, Geisha in Kyoto or watching sumo wrestling while sipping saki, there's so many different experiences to enjoy. But take a step away from the typical tourist traps and you can play disc golf in the peaceful tranquility of a Japanese park. Leave the crowds behind for a moment and make friends with locals who regularly play these Japanese courses and experience another side of this truly amazing country.
Things to Do
There’s so much to bring you to Japan, and unless you’re playing in the Japanese Open, Nippon Open or a major Asian disc golf tournament, it’s going to be a trip that centres more on the tourist trail than disc golf. But pack some discs for this trip because you can easily add a round to your itinerary as an off-the-beaten track excursion.
In Tokyo you should head to Shinjuku, the fun and vibrant entertainment district. Try a crazy go-cart trip around the city or food tour so you can really appreciate Japanese cuisine from street food, to fresh sushi and curries. Catch a sumo show and travel through the country on a high speed bullet train. There are some fantastic historic castles to explore in cities like Kyoto and Osaka or if it's spring you can join the throngs in parks to witness the cherry blossoms in bloom.
Get lost in the Arashiyama bamboo forest and experience the symmetry and beauty of the Fushimi Inari Shrine. If you’ve been on your feet and busy touristing or walking parks playing disc golf, then a soak in the onsen is the perfect end to your day. The Japanese love their theme parks from Disneyland Japan to SpaWorld in Osaka. Venure to Tashirojima or cat Island where cats are king or the famous hot spring monkey spa of Jigokudani.
Where to Play
Japanese courses are notoriously short, so quick to play but can be fun with the right attitude according to Cam Hoffman. Bring only a few discs and probably leave your drivers at home, and arm yourself with UDisc to find your way to each course. Japanese courses might just be the perfect place to hone your approach and upshots.
The top Japanese disc golf course, Showa Kinen Park, is about 40 minutes by train from the centre of Tokyo. It’s pay to play, as are most courses in Japan, but the fee is minimal. Two courses, close to each, are north of Tokyo in Hitachinaka, on the way up there is Ryugasaki Furusato Fureai disc golf - so it could be a trip to all three. If you’re in Osaka then try Hamanomiya disc golf in Kakogawa about an hour west of the city by train. That's in a quiet rural town with a lot of trees.
If you’re in the northern part of Honshu, the main Japanese island, then try Minamisoma Bajikoen disc golf which is about 60km east of Fukushima and also in the region is Ohtsutsumi Kitakami disc golf - a 75 minute train journey from Fukushima. All these disc golf courses are highlighted as being in the top 10 in Japan.
