Fairways above the Fuji River, steps from an old onsen town

Shimobe Onsenkyo Golf Club, formerly known as Minobusan Country Club, sits in the quiet hills of Minobu in southern Yamanashi. Opened in 1995 to a design by Robert von Hagge, the 18-hole, par-72 layout follows gentle slopes above the Fuji River in an American style: modest in length, but guarded by mounds, clusters of bunkers around the greens and water hazards. When the valley wind picks up it becomes a real test, yet the course is laid out to suit beginners, women golfers and low handicappers alike, and its greens stay a vivid green through the year.

Short on paper and long on character, especially when the river wind blows.

After the round there is a bright, window-lit bath in the clubhouse, and the historic hot-spring village of Shimobe Onsen lies just down the valley, long prized for its healing waters. Nearby Minobu is home to Kuonji Temple, famous for its weeping cherry trees in spring and its maple-covered slopes in autumn. Drivers reach the club in about 30 km from the Kofu-Minami interchange on the Chuo Expressway. By rail, take the JR Minobu Line to Shimobe Onsen Station, then a taxi of about ten minutes. Pair it with a night at a ryokan for an unhurried country escape.