Hi, I’m Matt — Long-Haul Pilot & Golf Obsessive
I’m a Boeing 787 First Officer flying international routes between Tokyo and cities like Melbourne, Chicago, Bangkok, and Honolulu.
Between flights, I’m on Japanese golf courses. I’ve played hundreds — budget tracks near Narita for early-morning layover rounds, hidden mountain courses in Nagano, resort courses in Okinawa with ocean views you have to see to believe.
That’s why I built Fly to Japan: honest golf course reviews, practical travel advice, and a pilot’s inside look at one of the world’s great golf destinations.
Meet Kai & Chika
Two mascots. One shared love of golf in Japan.
Kai
Always chasing birdies. Sometimes finds them.
Chika
Smooth swing. Smoother 19th hole orders.
Why Play Golf on a Layover?
People ask me this all the time. You just flew 11 hours — why would you want to walk 6 kilometers in the sun?
Here’s the honest answer: jet lag is about timing, and golf times everything right. You’re outside in natural daylight — the most powerful circadian reset signal there is. You’re moving at a moderate pace, not hammering your system with a hard gym session at the wrong hour. And you’re focused on the next shot instead of whatever time zone your body thinks it’s in.
I’ve played in Melbourne with kangaroos on the fairway, in Chicago where the wind off Lake Michigan has its own ideas about shot shape, in Honolulu where the tradewinds turn every approach into a guessing game. Every layover city has a course worth playing. Japan has a few hundred of them.
Who This Site Is For
This site is for you if you’re planning a trip to Japan and golf is on the list — but you want more than a generic “Top 10 Courses” roundup.
Maybe you’re visiting from the US, Australia, or Europe and you’ve booked a week in Tokyo. You want to fit in two or three rounds, but you’re not sure whether to pay ¥30,000 for a famous course or ¥7,000 for a local track that might genuinely be better. You want to know if you need a Japanese-speaking partner, how far in advance to book, whether the clubhouse lunch is worth staying for.
That’s exactly what I write about. Courses I’ve actually played. No PR freebies, no fluff. Just what it’s really like to show up, tee off, and explore Japan between holes.
Take Kai & Chika With You
Kai and Chika are also available as LINE stickers — perfect for your next round of golf chat. Whether you’re texting your playing partners about tee time, reacting to a missed putt, or celebrating a birdie, there’s a sticker for every moment on the course.
The Golfer Boy and Golfer Girl series cover the full emotional range — from first-tee excitement to post-round satisfaction (and everything in between).
Get in Touch
Played a course I haven’t covered? Found a hidden gem near your layover hotel? Want to suggest a topic? I’d love to hear from you.
Use the Contact page — I read every message, even if my reply timing depends on which time zone I woke up in.