Tottori Travel Guide for Japanese Learners
Japan's famous sand dunes on the Sea of Japan.
Tottori is the least-populous prefecture, best known for the vast Tottori Sand Dunes and a quirky sand sculpture museum. It's also manga country.
History & background
Tottori (鳥取) is Japan's least-populous prefecture. Its great coastal dunes (砂丘) have formed over 100,000 years from sand carried by the Sendai River and the Sea of Japan.
What to see
- Tottori Sand Dunes
- The Sand Museum
- Mount Daisen
- Mizuki Shigeru Road (yōkai manga)
What to eat
Snow crab in winter.
Getting there & when to go
Getting there: Tottori is reached by limited express from Okayama or Osaka.
Best time: Winter for snow crab; spring–autumn for the dunes (summer sand gets very hot).
When to go — season by season
The dunes are best in spring and autumn (summer sand gets scorching). Winter brings prized snow crab. Mount Daisen (大山) offers hiking and skiing in season.
A suggested visit
Ride a camel or sandboard the dunes near sunset, see the adjoining Sand Museum's sculptures, then drive the coast toward Mount Daisen. Manga fans can add Mizuki Shigeru Road (水木しげるロード) in Sakaiminato.
You can ride a camel or sandboard on the dunes; go near sunset to avoid midday heat.
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