Honshu in August is unplayable. Hokkaido is twenty degrees cooler, half as humid, and full of resort routings ranging from Nicklaus to local masters.
The smartest summer trip in Japanese golf is north. A 90-minute flight from Tokyo lands you in Hokkaido at temperatures Tokyo only sees in October. The courses are widely spaced, generous, and built for resort golf.
The five
- Hokkaido Classic Golf Club — Jack Nicklaus' Hokkaido routing, 40 minutes from New Chitose
- Rusutsu Resort — three nines on a volcanic plateau, Mt. Yotei on the horizon
- Tomakomai Golf Club — Pacific coast parkland, walkable
- Eniwa Country Club — forested traditional layout, easy summer pace
- Furano Golf Course — alpine setting near the lavender fields
Pair any two of these with a night at a Sapporo ryokan and a morning at Nijo Market. The flight back fits comfortably after lunch.
