Moopon

The Tottori Sand Dunes (鳥取砂丘, Tottori Sakyu) is Tottori’s most famous tourist attraction.  The sand dunes are located outside the center of the city; they are a part of the Sanin Kaigan National Park.

Being the largest in Japan, the Tottori Sand Dunes span 16 kilometers along the Sea of Japan coast.  Being along the coast, the tides and winds constantly reshape the sand dunes to a new design.

Between the visitor center and the sea is the main sightseeing area. Visitors will find many of the largest sand dunes here.  Walking to the top of the tall dune will enable visitors to experience breathtaking sea views. From this location, visitors can see the trails of never-ending sand in almost every direction.

Beside the sand dune, there are other tourist attractions in this areas. There are camel rides as well as horse drawn carts to travel through the dunes.  Adventurous visitors have the option to try paragliding or sandboarding (similar to snowboarding) here as well.


Next to the dunes is The Sand Museum, a unique museum which displays large sand sculptures by artists from around the world. In the past, the exhibits were held outdoors or in temporary structures but since 2012, the sculptors are displayed in their permanent home.

The span of an exhibit is from mid April to early January of the following year. Each exhibit has its own theme which is usually a country or a region.  For 2014, the theme is Russia.  The current show started on April 19, 2014 and will close on January 4, 2015.

**Camel Ride Information:
Hours: 9:30 to 16:30 (March to November)
10:00 to 16:00 (December to February)
Closed: No closing days
Admission: 1300 yen (one person), 2500 yen (two persons)

**Sand Museum:
Hours: 9:00 to 20:00 (entry until 19:30)
Closed: Between exhibitions (early January to mid April)
Admission: 600 yen
English Level: Good

**Access Information:
By Bus:
*from Tottori Station, board the regular city bus bound for Tottori Sakyu (鳥取砂丘). Visitors can board the bus from bus stop #0 in front of Tottori Station.  Visitors will disembark at the final stop. The ride to the dunes takes about 20 minutes. The fare is 370 yen.  There 1 bus per hour.
*from Tottori Station, board the Kirin Jishi Loop Bus.  The A-Course takes about 25 minutes to the dunes whereas the B-Course takes about one hour. The frequency is one bus every 1-2 hours. The cost is 300yen per ride or 600 yen for a 1-day pass.
NOTE:  the Kirin Jishi Loop bus to Sand Dunes operates only on the weekends, national holidays and summer vacation (July 20th to August 31st). For other dates, please use the regular city bus.
By taxi:
*from Tottori Station, it is a 20 minute ride with a fare of about 2200 yen.
 

The top of Mount Daisen is made up several peaks.  Kengamine Peak (1729 meters) is the highest.  However, an earthquake severely damaging the trail to the peak in 2000 prompted the closure of this trail.  Hikers can climb as far as Misen Peak (1709 m) which is just a few meters away from Kengamine.

The trail to Misen Peak is about 4 kilometers long. The trail consists mainly of steep stairs and takes about 3 hours to climb. The first section of the trail is through the forests.  When hikers reach about half-way up the mountain, they are rewarded by breathtaking views. The last few hundred meters of the trail are along a series of wooden boards placed over plants and grass located near the summit.

Daisen has deep history with spirituality. Daisenji Temple, an important Buddhist temple, was built near the base of the mountain.  The buildings are spread out and connected by mountain trails. Similarly, Ogamiyama Shrine is also located on this mountain, further up the trail from the temple. 

There is a network of hiking trails connecting Daisenji Temple with several lower peaks on the northeastern side of Daisen. The length and difficult level of the trails vary.  There are some trails which are not recommended for beginners.

With spring flowers surrounding the base of the mountain, to autumn leaves decorating the mountain, Daisen’s beauty can be enjoyed all year round. Visitors can enjoy fall foliage at Daisen from late October to early November.  The forest in the mountain transforms the mountain into an array of autumn colors.  From late November to late April, a plush snow carpet lies on the mountain, making it one of western Japan's best ski slopes.

Access Information to Daisenji Temple

Being that Mount Daisen is surrounded by nature with its wide blue sky; the nearest city with multiple transportation options is Yonago, Tottori's second largest and westernmost city.  It is located near Matsue.

From Yonago there are buses to Daisenji Temple.  The buses are infrequent. The length of the bus ride is about an hour with a cost of 720 yen)

Likewise, visitors can choose to take a train from Yonago Station to Daisen-guchi (20 minute train ride, 240 yen fare). There are one or two trains every hour.  From Daisen-guchi, there are buses to Daisenji Temple.  Again the frequency is not good. The journey is 30 minutes in length and the cost is 480 yen.

Access Information to Yonago.

**By air
Multiple flights are available between Tokyo and Yonago Airport via ANA and Skymark. The flight time is 75 minutes.
Yonago Airport is a 25 minute bus ride from Yonago Station (590 yen).

**By JR Daytime Trains
Board the JR Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo to Okayama (multiple trains per hour) and transfer to a JR Yakumo limited express train bound for Yonago (length: 2 hours, one train per hour). The one way fare is about 19,000 yen, and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass if using Hikari trains between Tokyo and Okayama.

**By JR Night Trains
The "Sunrise Izumo" night train operates daily between Tokyo and Izumo with a stop at Yonago. The one way fare is around 15,000 yen for a "nobi nobi" compartment (a small carpeted compartment to lie down) or 21,000 yen for regular berths. The trip is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass if using "nobi nobi" compartments, but requires a supplement of around 9500 yen if using regular berths. 
Note:  "nobi nobi" compartments are quite popular and often book out.

**By Highway Bus
Nihon Kotsu and Keikyu Bus operate overnight buses between Tokyo (Shinagawa Bus Terminal) and Yonago Station. The one way journey takes about 10.5 hours and costs 11,500 yen. The route is also served by discount bus companies, such as Willer Express, with tickets available from around 6000 yen.

Koyamaike Aoshima Park is located a few kilometers outside the center of Tottori city.

A beautiful park, surrounding by nature, the park is well known for the cherry blossoms or sakuras which bloom here.There is an island, Aoshima, located in this pond. Visitors need to cross a bridge over Koyamaike Pond to access Aoshima Island.

Aoshima Island has a 1.6 meter walking trail along its coast.
 Over 500 cherry trees with 30 varieties of cherry blossoms are located on this walking trial.

The cherry blossom season here is from early to late April, as there are many late blooming sakuras trees on this island.