Tottori Sand Dunes

National Natural Monument; Part Of San'In Kaigan UNESCO Global Geopark · Tottori, Tottori

A stretch of sand dunes along the Sea of Japan coast in Tottori, the least populous prefecture, which is a surprising sight in a country of mountains and forests. The dunes run for about sixteen kilometres along the shore, formed by sand carried down from the Chugoku mountains and blown back inland by the sea wind, and in the central area rise to around fifty metres. The wind ripples the sand into patterns that change by the day. The classic walk is up the steep face of the Umanose, the horse's back ridge, for a view over the sea. Visitors can ride camels, sandboard, or paraglide off the dunes. Across the road, the Sand Museum builds a new exhibition of huge, detailed sand sculptures every year around a theme from a different country, and is one of the few indoor museums of sand sculpture in the world. The dunes are part of the San'in Kaigan Geopark, and the coast to the east has rocky inlets and islands. The dunes are best early in the morning or at sunset. Tottori is also known for crab, pears and a surprising number of Conan manga sites.

2164-661 Fukubecho Yuyama, Tottori, Tottori, 689-0105, Japan

NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: the dunes are open at all hours, all year. The Sand Museum opens daily in the day, from about 9 am to 6 pm in its season, and closes for a few months each year while the next exhibition is built. The visitor center, chairlift and activities keep daytime hours and stop in bad weather. Buses to the station stop in the early evening. Confirm current times, the museum's season and the last bus before relying on them.

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