Did you know that Japan has massive sand dunes? One of the lesser-known prefectures, Tottori, is located on the west coast of the main island of Japan along the Sea of Japan. The Tottori Sand Dunes (鳥取砂丘, Tottori Sakyu) are the largest in Japan and one of the main attractions for visitors, regularly pulling in a few million tourists a year.
Tottori Sand Dunes
The Tottori Sand Dunes are part of the San’in Kaigan National Park, a UNESCO Global Geopark. If you are into nature travel, this is definitely a corner of Japan you should visit. At 16 km along the coast and at one point coming nearly 2 km into the land, the tallest dunes are 50m (!).
Side note, I use to only speak metric for running, after living outside America so long, it’s grown on me completely.
The dunes were created thousands of years ago by deposits from the near by Sendai river. The main visitor center gives you a detailed history of the changes to the land as well as insight into the creatures and vegetation that make these dunes their home.
Tourist Attractions
Along with enjoying nature, you have a wide variety of gimmicky tourist attractions to choose from. Camel rides and a random little ski lift to give you an aerial view. For the more adventurous, there is sandboarding or paragliding.
Bottom line? You can spend some time here.
Hungry? There are several restaurants in the area. Make sure you try some crab while you are in Tottori, the local specialty.
Being Prepared for the Sand
Forgot to pack the right shoes for hiking around on the sand? They have slippers for you to borrow at the Visitor Center.
The weather is apt to change at any point while in Japan, especially this close to the sea so make sure you come prepared with some rain gear. (For my go
Getting to Tottori Sand Dunes
Probably the most convenient way to get around town is the Loop Bus. However, unless you are there in August, it only runs on weekends and holidays.
You can buy your 600 yen pass at the train station at the information booth (and it also has an English copy of the timetable) or onboard.
Not there on a day for the pass? From Tottori Station, take the Nikko or Hinomaru bus bound for Tottori Sakyuu. For more on bus rides, this guide will help you feel more comfortable.
Things to do near by
Even though it’s not as known, Tottori has a lot going for it. Don’t miss the Sand Museum which regularly changes displays.
Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link. The price for you is not affected.
Getting to Tottori
From Kyoto, you can hop on the Super Hakuto (スーパーはくと), a limited express train service straight to Tottori. Getting a JR Rail Pass? If you are limiting your visit to this side of the country, the Sanyo-San’in Area Pass is much cheaper than the “All Japan” pass.
Where to stay
If you aren’t looking for anything fancy, APA Hotels are a great way to go. They are generally very inexpensive and conveniently located close to the railway stations. Many of them also have public baths on site for the true Japan experience.
Save this for later
