Highland golf at 900 metres, under Aso's big sky

Aso Sky Blue Golf Resort, known until 2019 as Aso Takamori Golf Club, sits at around 900 metres in Takamori, on the quieter southern side of the Aso caldera in Kumamoto. Opened in 1992 and built by Honma Green Development, it is an 18-hole, par-72 course of 7,055 yards spread over some 133 hectares. The layout blends broad, dynamic highland holes with forest-lined stretches and only moderate ups and downs, with a maximum elevation change of about 20 metres.

Cool highland air and a long, open layout, with a hotel just off the 18th.

Its elevation makes it a refreshing escape in summer, and the on-site Hotel Aso Sky Blue means you can play, stay and go again the next morning. GPS riding carts, a range and short-game areas make for an easy visit. Takamori itself is known for the cool waters of Shirakawa Suigen spring, dengaku grilled skewers and views up to the jagged Nekodake peak, while the rest of Aso's crater country is a short drive away. Allow around 90 minutes by car from Kumamoto Airport.