Highland golf beneath the shoulders of Mt. Asama

Royal Blue Golf Resort sits at about 1,100 metres in Tsumagoi Village, Gunma, on the high plateau north of Karuizawa. Opened in July 1992 under an earlier name and designed by Masa Ohkubo, it is an 18-hole, par-72 layout of 6,880 yards from the back tees, split into the Blue and White nines. The fairways roll with natural undulations that make some apparently flat lies subtly sloped, and hazards around the bent greens frame each target, so pin position changes the day's difficulty considerably. All rounds are played with riding carts, and the clubhouse offers a large bath and sauna for after the round.

Mt. Asama, Omote-Manza and Mt. Azuma on the horizon, and cool mountain air on every tee.

The setting is the draw: a summer escape from the heat of the plains, with 2,000-metre peaks in view across the plateau. The course closes for winter, so plan a visit between late spring and autumn, when the Tsumagoi highlands are green and the leaves turn in October. Pair a round with the resort town of Karuizawa or the hot springs of the Kusatsu and Manza area for a relaxed two-day trip. From Tokyo, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Karuizawa Station (about 70 minutes) and drive roughly 35 minutes, or drive the Joshinetsu Expressway to Usui-Karuizawa IC and continue about 35 km to the course.