Japan FootGolf Association sets Hokkaido Open for August 1 in Bibai

Bibai is back on Japan FootGolf’s map, and the Japan FootGolf Association is treating the Hokkaido Open like a real destination stop, not a routine line on the calendar. Set for August 1 at Golf 5 Country Bibai Course in Bibai, Hokkaido, the tournament gives players a northern summer target with a firm cap, a fixed price, and a clear registration window.

The numbers tell the story. Entry will cost ¥24,000 for adults and ¥15,000 for students, with sales opening June 23 at noon and closing July 23. The field is limited to 80 players total, and the event will be played over 36 holes of stroke play. JFGA also says Japan Tour ranking points will go only to players who are registered as JFGA license players before the event, a detail that turns this into a meaningful points stop for anyone still chasing the season table.

That timing matters because the Japan Tour standings are already moving. JFGA’s 2026 season ranking page was current through June 22, with Kuwata Hiroyuki, Aoki Go and Takada Ryuga near the top of the men’s table, while Tomizawa Kazumi, Kobayashi Hayato and Shirakawa Man were leading another category. The Hokkaido Open lands at a useful point in the schedule: late enough to reward players who have built form, but early enough to reshape the race before autumn compresses the calendar.

Bibai is not an empty name on the map, either. The same course hosted the FIFG World Tour Japan FootGolf International Open in August 2025, after JFGA described that event as one of the seven Major FootGolf tournaments of the year. That history gives the August 1 stop extra weight. Players heading north are not just signing up for another domestic tournament; they are going to a venue that has already handled major international pressure and a field built for serious competition.

The event page also makes the logistics unusually complete. Seals Japan Limited and Sapporo Beer are listed as sponsors, the prize money includes ¥60,000 for the men’s winner and ¥40,000 each for the senior, senior-plus and women’s winners, and practice rounds will be limited to July 30 and July 31 by advance reservation. Registration begins at 11:00 on tournament day, tee-offs start at 12:00 in six-minute intervals, and the final group is expected to finish around 17:30, depending on pace of play. Players must bring a size 5 soccer ball and wear golf-course-appropriate attire.

For a sport built on travel, timing and access, Bibai checks every box. It is a northern stop with ranking consequences, a known championship venue and enough lead time for players to plan the trip before the late-summer stretch tightens.