Tottori Sand Dunes

The dunes run for about sixteen kilometres along the coast east of Tottori city, formed by sand carried down by the Sendai River, pushed offshore by currents and blown back inland over thousands of years. The part open to visitors is a much smaller section, dominated by a high ridge people climb for the view of the sea from the far side, and a hollow that fills with water after heavy rain. Wind rebuilds the ripple patterns constantly, so the surface is never the same twice. Camels and horse carts wait at the entrance, paragliders and sandboarders use the slope, and a sand sculpture museum stands nearby.

What you actually see

• The main ridge - a steep climb to the crest with the Sea of Japan on the other side.
• The oasis hollow - a low pocket that holds water for weeks after heavy rain.
• Wind ripples - patterns reworked across the surface after every strong blow.
• The sand museum - large carved sand sculptures shown indoors on a yearly theme.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable. Summer sand gets hot enough to hurt bare feet and the ridge offers no shade at all. Winter can put a thin layer of snow over the dunes, which is worth seeing. Early morning gives clean ripple patterns before footprints cover them, and sunset over the sea is the best light.

Honest expectations

Most visitors expect a desert and find a very large beach dune, which is why the place divides opinion. The open area is smaller than sixteen kilometres suggests, and the ridge is a hard slog in loose sand. Camel rides are short and charged, the entrance has a full souvenir complex, and wind-driven sand gets into cameras and everything else.

Nearby

Tottori city, the sand museum by the entrance and the geopark cliffs along the coast to the east.