Rolling hills beneath the Bandai highlands

Inawashiro Golf Club lies in the Wakamiya district of Inawashiro town in Fukushima's Aizu region, on gently rolling ground at the foot of Mt. Funamori. Opened in 1998, the 18-hole, par-72 course stretches to 7,075 yards from the championship tees, with four tee sets for players of every level. The front nine is wide and long, while the back nine is flatter and straighter but guarded by ponds, creeks and bright white bunkers. Natural forest has been kept between the holes, and the bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass fairways stay green all season.

Generous fairways and a big grass range, with a highland onsen waiting after the round.

The club has an American-style practice range where you hit from real turf, and it offers discounted tickets to the inns of Nakanosawa Onsen, one of the Bandai area's best-known hot springs. Lake Inawashiro, the Bandai-Asahi plateau and the castle town of Aizu-Wakamatsu are all close by, which makes this a good base for a summer or autumn trip through Fukushima. By car it is about 20 minutes from the Inawashiro-Bandai Kogen interchange on the Ban-etsu Expressway. Train travellers can ride the JR Ban-etsu West Line to Inawashiro Station and continue about 30 minutes by bus or taxi.