A thousand cherry trees and rolling Chiba hills

Chiba Sakuranosato Golf Club sits in the countryside of Katori in northeastern Chiba, about 9 km from the Sawara-Katori interchange of the Higashi-Kanto Expressway. Opened in 1984 and now run by Accordia Golf, it is an 18-hole, par-72 hill course stretching to 6,772 yards from the back tees. Each hole is framed by natural woodland, with generous fairways, complex undulations on the approaches and cleverly placed ponds and bunkers that reward a thoughtful game plan.

When some 1,000 cherry trees bloom, the whole course turns pink, and spring golf here becomes a small festival.

Play is relaxed and self-guided in GPS-equipped riding carts, and rental clubs can be reserved in advance, which makes it an easy pick for travelers. Its location is a real bonus: Narita Airport is close by, so it works well as a first- or last-day round on a Japan trip. Afterwards, wander the willow-lined canals and old merchant houses of Sawara, one of the Kanto region's best-preserved Edo-era towns, or visit the grand Katori Jingu shrine nearby.