Directory of Japanese Golf Brands

Japan is home to some of the finest club makers in golf. Its forging houses are admired for soft, precisely shaped irons, and many models are made only for the Japanese market. This directory introduces the names that golfers and collectors seek. For the full story, begin with The Atlas of Japanese Golf, twelve chapters on makers, methods and why the world collects them. To choose among the houses, use the decision matrix and chart; to carry the clubs onto a course, begin with the visitor’s field guide.

The established houses

• Honma. Founded in Yokohama in 1959 by the company’s own account (one trade profile says 1958), and based in Sakata, Yamagata, since 1981. Known for luxurious clubs with gold and platinum accents; its Beres line and star ratings mark grades of finish. Read Honma Golf: Stars, Gold and the Sakata Workshop or browse the Honma room.
• Mizuno. An Osaka company dating from 1906, whose irons are forged at the independent Chuo forge and hand-finished at Yōrō, Gifu, and are admired by tour players. Read Mizuno and the Chuo Forge: Feel as Engineering or browse the Mizuno room.
• Bridgestone. Clubs and balls, including the Tour B range; its first golf ball for Japan dates from 1935. Browse the Bridgestone room.
• Srixon. The golf brand of Sumitomo Rubber, which also makes Cleveland and XXIO clubs. Read Bridgestone, Srixon and Cleveland: Japan on Tour or browse the Srixon and XXIO room.
• XXIO. Sumitomo Rubber’s range for moderate swing speeds, launched in Japan in 2000. Read XXIO, PRGR and Yonex: Clubs Built for Ease and Speed.
• Yonex. A carbon pioneer in golf from 1982, bringing the materials of its racquets to clubs. Browse the Yonex room.
• PRGR. The golf brand of Yokohama Rubber, launched in 1983 on its Head Speed Theory, and maker of the non-conforming Egg range. Browse the PRGR room.
• Maruman. Maker of the premium Majesty range. Browse the Majesty room.

The forging houses

• Miura. A family forge near Himeji whose founder, Katsuhiro Miura, forged irons for many famous brands before making his own. Read Miura Golf: A Himeji Family Forge or browse the Miura room.
• Epon. The brand of Endo Manufacturing in Tsubame, Niigata, a forger for leading global brands. Read Epon and Endo: The Forging House Behind Other Names or browse the Epon room.

The boutique houses

• Fourteen. A design house known for wedges and specialist irons. Browse the Fourteen room.
• Onoff. A premium lifestyle brand of Globeride, formerly Daiwa Seiko, known for limited Labospec runs. Browse the Onoff room. Both houses are profiled in Onoff, Fourteen and Maruman: The Boutique Houses.

Shafts

Japanese shafts are fitted to clubs across the world. Fujikura, Graphite Design, Mitsubishi Chemical and Nippon Shaft are the names to know, and many Japanese market clubs come with lighter shafts than their equivalents abroad. Read Fujikura, Graphite Design, Mitsubishi and Nippon Shaft: The Engine Room.

Japan-only models

• Many brands make domestic models with different heads, lofts and shafts from their international ranges.
• Labels and stickers in Japanese, and shaft flexes marked R, SR, S and X, identify domestic clubs.
• Some domestic drivers are built beyond the spring-effect limit of the rules; JDM Golf Clubs and the Rule Book explains what that means for a buyer.
• Headcovers and original stickers add to the value of collector clubs.

Condition notes

• Check the face for wear from range use, and grooves for sharpness.
• Note the grip, its size and whether it is original.
• Look for shaft bends or cracks near the hosel.

Playing golf in Japan

• How to Play Golf in Japan: A Visitor's Field Guide: the pillar chapter: the shape of the day, from check-in to the bath.
• Which Japanese Golf Club Is Right for You: A Decision Matrix: seven questions, a decision matrix and a filterable chart of the makers.
• Finding and Booking a Golf Course in Japan: four ways in, how far ahead to book and which famous clubs take no visitors.
• What Golf Costs in Japan: Fees, Tax and Membership: reported fees side by side, the course-use tax and what membership costs.
• Japanese Golf Etiquette: Dress, Pace and the Bath: the locker key, the collar, pace and the bath: a short code of courtesies.
• Where to Play Golf in Japan: Regions and Celebrated Courses: access draws the map: regions and the celebrated courses a visitor may reach.
• The Japanese Golf Calendar: Seasons, Rain and Tournaments: the seasons, the rainy season by region and the tournament calendar.
• Golf and Onsen: Leisure Journeys Across Japan: six places where golf and hot springs meet, and what lies beyond the bath.
• Club Tours in Japan: Fitting Studios, Shops and Forges: fitting studios, shops and forges, and how the clubs travel home.

Related references

• The Atlas of Japanese Golf: Makers, Methods and Why the World Collects Them
• Japanese Golf Brands Compared: Forging, Faces and Feel: every maker side by side, with the technical terms defined.
• Why the World Buys Japanese Golf Clubs
• Japanese Golf, with rooms for drivers, iron sets, putters and bags
• Buying Golf Equipment from Japan: A Guide for Beginners and Advanced Players
• Japanese Golf Clubs: Honma, Miura and the Star Grades
• Glossary of Pre-owned Luxury Terms
• Japanese condition ranks explained

Looking for a particular piece? Our Hunting Salon™ searches across Japan's private collector circles on your behalf.

Index terms: directory of japanese golf brands · japanese golf club makers · honma · mizuno · miura · epon · fourteen · onoff · xxio · prgr · yonex · bridgestone golf · srixon · majesty maruman · japanese golf shafts · how to play golf in japan · which japanese golf club is right for me · golf in japan for visitors