Wide fairways at the foot of Mt. Haruna

JGM Bel Aire Golf Club spreads across the western foothills of Mt. Haruna, just outside Takasaki in Gunma Prefecture. Opened in March 1988 and designed by Takeo Aiyama, this 18-hole, par-72 course reaches 6,932 yards from the back tees. Belts of trees separate the holes, the fairways are broad and relatively flat for a hillside course, and the whole setting has the spacious, polished feel of a championship layout with the Haruna range rising behind.

A stay-and-play retreat in the hills, with the mountains as a backdrop.

Its own Hotel Green Hill Haruna sits beside the 10th green, so it is easy to turn a round into an overnight golf break, and a 270-yard range lets you warm up properly. Beyond the course, Lake Haruna and the stone-stepped onsen town of Ikaho are a short drive up the mountain, and Takasaki is known for its Daruma dolls and Shorinzan Temple. By train, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Annaka-Haruna Station, where the club runs a reserved shuttle bus on weekends and holidays; drivers can reach it in about 20 km from Maebashi IC on the Kan-Etsu Expressway.