Tottori Prefecture is located in the Chūgoku region, in the west of Honshū Island. It borders Hyogo to the east, Shimane to the west, Okayama to the south, and the Sea of Japan to the north. It is on this border that one of the country’s most spectacular geographical features can be found. The famous Tottori Sand Dunes (鳥取砂丘 Tottori-sakyū) are sand formations 16 km long and 2 km wide, which in some places can exceed 50 metres in height.
These dunes were formed by the action of the wind and the sedimentation of sand brought by the rivers that flow into Tottori Bay, mixed with the sea wind that shapes the sand. Due to this natural process, the landscape may resemble a desert, even though it is surrounded by vegetation, sea and mountains. The most striking feature of these formations is that they are mobile and change according to the direction and strength of the winds, modifying the landscape and making them unique every time we visit them.
A visit to Tottori Sand Dunes can be simply to stroll and climb the dunes to see the coastline from above, take a short photo tour on camelback, or enjoy sports such as sandboarding or paragliding. Either way, it is a place to spend a couple of hours and explore at a leisurely pace, weather permitting.
Tottori can be combined with a visit to other interesting areas in northern Chūgoku, such as the city of Matsue, with its original castle, and Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture, or Amanohashidate on the coast of Kyoto Prefecture.
To get to the dunes, you can take a bus from the outer bus stops at Tottori Railway Station, which will drop you off at the visitor centre in about 15 minutes. This area is also home to the Sand Museum, with exhibitions that change from time to time, and a chairlift to take you up and down the dunes, as well as food and drink establishments.
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