Rain and Golf Cancellations in Japan
The course decides whether to close. If it closes for severe weather before your round, we refund what you paid us or offer free rebooking
The course decides whether to close. If it closes for severe weather before your round, we refund what you paid us or offer free rebooking
Quick answer
The course decides whether to close for weather, not you or us. If it closes for severe weather before your round begins, you pay no green fee and we refund the amounts you paid us in full, or offer free rebooking. If the course stays open and you choose not to play, it counts as your cancellation. The course’s own cancellation terms apply, and some courses state that rain does not exempt you from them. Under our standard terms, we refund the booking fee if you cancel 10 days or more before play. For later cancellations or no-shows, it is non-refundable unless an exemption in our cancellation policy applies.
Last updated: 2026-10-19
Not automatically. Contact us to confirm the course’s operating status and the cancellation terms for your booking. PGM Golf Resort Okinawa, for example, states that rain does not exempt a cancellation from its fee (see the table below).
Japan’s rainy season begins in May to June and its timing varies by region, according to Japan’s national tourism organization (JNTO). If your dates fall then, pack for wet weather.
The course decides whether to close, and we can check its latest operating status for you. The course operator PGM says in its official help pages that closure information for typhoons, snow and other disasters “changes constantly” and directs golfers to the course for the latest status. For a booking with us, contact us and we’ll confirm it with your course.
At Ibusuki Golf Club in Kagoshima, the club told us it decides typhoon and heavy-rain closures case by case, and that no cancellation fee applies if it closes. If bad weather may affect your booking, contact us and we’ll check with your course.
It depends on the course, because each course sets its own terms. PGM’s help page says cancellation fees differ by course and are not charged before the course’s fee start date. Two published examples show how far apart the rules can be:
| Course | Fee period and amount | Weather |
|---|---|---|
| PGM Golf Resort Okinawa | Group bookings: fees apply from the start of the seven-day period ending on the play date, inclusive (for play on November 9, from November 3): ¥4,000 per group on weekdays and ¥8,000 on weekends and public holidays. Not attending without notifying the course: 100% of the booked rate for each player. For the course’s separate solo-player matching category (“one-person booking”), fees apply once play is confirmed, from noon on the day before play: ¥1,000 on weekdays and ¥2,000 on weekends and public holidays. For both categories, the weekend and public-holiday rates also apply on weekdays between Showa Day and Constitution Memorial Day, August 12–15 and December 28–January 4. | Bad weather (rain, extremely hot days) does not exempt a cancellation from the fee. No fee if the course closes. |
| Higashi Chiba Country Club | General bookings: ¥12,000 per group, from 3 days before play on weekdays and 7 days before on weekends, holidays and special operating days. | If a weather warning (heavy rain, flood, storm, snowstorm or heavy snow) is issued on the day of play, or the Keiyo Road, Aqua-Line or JR lines are closed, the course may waive the fee at its discretion. |
Sources: PGM Golf Resort Okinawa visitor cancellation notice (applies to play from November 1, 2024) and Higashi Chiba Country Club notice (applies from April 1, 2025). Both in Japanese, checked 2026-10-19. Courses revise these terms; we confirm the current version in writing when you book.
At PGM Golf Resort Okinawa, rain does not waive a cancellation fee once the fee period has started. Higashi Chiba may waive the fee when a qualifying weather warning is issued, but the decision is the course’s.
The course may close. PGM advises that weather-related closure information changes constantly, so check the latest status with us if a typhoon may affect your round. JNTO warns that August and September may bring typhoons that can disrupt travel plans, and trains and roads to the course can be affected too.
If you are traveling in typhoon season, avoid booking golf on the day before your flight home, so a closure leaves room to rebook. For emergencies during your trip, JNTO runs a Japan Visitor Hotline (050-3816-2787, 24 hours) and lists the Safety Tips app for disaster information.
Yes. If the course closes for severe weather before your round begins, you receive a full refund of the amounts you paid us, or free rebooking. The same applies to a natural disaster or other force majeure. Our booking fee is charged in US dollars, separately from anything the course charges.
If the course stays open and you decide not to play, our standard terms apply, unless another exemption in our cancellation policy covers your case, such as a verified medical emergency with documentation submitted within 72 hours:
Course cancellation fees are separate and follow each course’s terms. If one applies, we pass on only the amount the course actually charges. The full terms are on our cancellation policy page.
No. If the course closes for severe weather before your round, no green fee is charged under our cancellation policy. For tee times booked through us, green fees are normally paid in yen at the course on the day, not in advance.
If play is stopped after your round begins, follow the staff’s instructions and contact us so we can confirm the charges that apply with your course.
A waterproof jacket and trousers, a golf umbrella, two or three spare gloves, a towel that stays dry in your bag, and waterproof golf shoes with soft spikes or a spikeless sole. A cap with a brim keeps rain off your glasses.
Pack a full change of clothes and a plastic bag for the wet ones. If your course has a clubhouse bath, it is a good place to warm up after a wet round; ask us about the facilities at your chosen course. Our guide to golf and onsen in Japan explains how clubhouse baths work. If you are renting clubs, see rental clubs.
Planning dates around the seasons? Our guide on when to book golf in Japan covers lead times, and Okinawa golf covers year-round play in the south.
A rainy forecast does not mean your round is off. Each course decides whether to close. PGM’s official help page says closure information for typhoons, snow and other disasters changes constantly and asks golfers to check directly with the course. If you booked through us, contact us and we’ll check with your course.
It depends on the course. At PGM Golf Resort Okinawa, the visitor cancellation notice says rain and extremely hot days do not exempt a cancellation from its fee, and that no fee applies if the course closes. Higashi Chiba Country Club says it may waive the fee at its discretion when a qualifying weather warning is issued on the day of play. We confirm your course’s cancellation terms in writing when you book.
If the course closes for severe weather before your round begins, you receive a full refund of the amounts you paid us, or free rebooking. Under our cancellation policy, green fees are not charged for a round that does not take place.
That is a cancellation by you. Our booking fee is refunded in full if you cancel 10 days or more before play, including exactly 10 days before. If you cancel fewer than 10 days before play, or do not show up, it is non-refundable. These standard terms are subject to the weather, disaster and medical exemptions in our cancellation policy. The course may also charge its own cancellation fee, depending on its terms and how close to the date you cancel.
Yes. Japan’s national tourism organization warns that August and September may bring typhoons that disrupt travel plans. If your trip falls in those months, keep a spare day in your itinerary if you can.
Tell us your dates and the course or area you want. We confirm the course’s cancellation terms in writing when you book, and reply within 12 business hours (JST 9:00–18:00).
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