JAPAN

It’s an honor, even for the locals. You don’t just go online and make a reservation for dinner with the geishas at an ochaya; you must be invited for an evening of traditional Japanese culture. Geishas have roots as far back as the seventh century in Kyoto, when the city became the new seat of Japan’s imperial court. Despite his many trips to Japan, it was the first time Golfer’s Journal photo editor Kohjiro Kinno had been to one of Kyoto’s legendary tea houses. “It was very beautiful,” Kinno says. “It was a special night.” 

The evening was part of Kinno’s latest adventure through his parents’ homeland, a four-day train trip from Tokyo to Kyoto and back. Although he was born in Southern California, Kinno’s parents hail from Japan and he returns several times a year. This was a “pleasure and photo project,” he says, where he visited family and friends. Fellow golf photographer Taku Miyamoto once again played host; they often travel the country together, always on the hunt for new golf courses and experiences. 

This time they focused on Kyoto Golf Club, a mainstay of Japanese golf launched in 1948 by the U.S. military for its troops stationed there post–World War II. It has since grown into a 36-hole facility. After the shoot, local friends surprised them with a dinner they won’t forget. 

“It was so cool,” Kinno says. “Japan is amazing—can’t wait to get back again.”