Broadleaf woods in the hills of Agatsuma

Kanetsu Golf Club Nakayama Course lies in the quiet village of Takayama in Gunma's Agatsuma district, within about 15 km of the Tsukiyono interchange on the Kan-etsu Expressway. Opened in 1995 to a design by Brian Jones, it is an 18-hole, par-72 layout of 6,532 yards set on hill country yet playing largely flat, with fairways framed by broadleaf forest and bentgrass greens, one per hole.

A hill course that walks like a flat one, wrapped in Gunma's woodland.

Riding carts carry you between the tree-lined holes, and the gentle terrain makes for a relaxed day in the countryside rather than a mountain slog. The setting is ideal for combining golf with Gunma's famous hot-spring towns: Ikaho and Shima Onsen are within reach, and the Sarugakyo area sits on the drive in from Tsukiyono. Without a car, take the Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Jomo-Kogen (about 1 hour 15 minutes), then a roughly 15-minute ride to the club. Note that the club has no driving range and accepts cash only.