Easygoing golf on the banks of the Tone River

Clear View Golf Club & Hotel spreads across the flat riverside land of the Tone River in Noda, northwest Chiba, roughly 45 minutes from central Tokyo. Opened in 1964 and run today by PGM, it is an 18-hole, par-72 course of up to 6,741 yards, broad and open, with ponds and creeks in play and short holes ringed by bunkers. The club describes it as a relaxed, friendly course that suits golfers of every handicap.

Wide skies, gentle ground and water in play, with a hotel waiting at the end of the day.

Rounds are self-play in GPS-equipped riding carts on bent and korai greens, and the on-site Clear View Hotel makes it easy to turn a game into an overnight stay, with dining and a quiet setting just outside the city. Noda is the historic home of Japanese soy sauce brewing, and the riverbanks here are pleasant for a stroll in spring and autumn. It is one of the more convenient courses for visitors without a car: take the Tsukuba Express from Akihabara to Kashiwa-tanaka Station, then the club bus for a 12-minute ride to the clubhouse.