About
Kinya Fujita learned the game of golf as a student in the United States and later became the patriarch of Japan’s renowned Kasumigaseki Country Club—the first in the nation to host the Olympic golf competition.
Kinya Fujita was a pioneering Japanese golf course architect whose influence on the sport in Japan is profound. Born in 1889, Fujita studied in the United States, attending the University of Chicago, Miami of Ohio, and Columbia, where he also took up golf. Upon returning to Japan, he became a key figure in introducing and expanding the game, both through his involvement in founding clubs and designing courses. Fujita was instrumental in creating the Kasumigaseki Country Club in 1929, now one of Japan’s premier championship venues and host to global events. His designs often reflected the innovative influences of western architects, especially after collaborating with Charles H. Alison. Fujita’s work set a new standard for course architecture in Japan, and along with Seiichi Inoue, he helped drive a nationwide boom in golf course development before and after World War II. His legacy includes not only distinguished courses but also the mentoring of future generations of Japanese golf architects.
