Area Characteristics
Tottori is a narrow prefecture extending from east to west located in the northeastern part of the Chugoku region. Facing the Sea of Japan, the prefecture is divided into 2 areas: the northern area which continues along the beautiful coast with the Tottori Sand Dunes and the southern area with its range of mountains including Mt. Daisen which is the tallest peak in Chugoku. The San'in Kaigan Global Geopark which straddles Tottori, Hyogo and Kyoto Prefectures has a variety of attractive coastline topography starting with a rias-style shoreline which was carved out some 2,500 years ago.
Major Sites
The Tottori Sand Dunes is the famous site in the prefecture which stretches from east to west for 16km. Next to the dunes is The Sand Museum which is the only museum of art of its kind in the world to exhibit sand sculptures. There are plenty of other distinctive spots in the prefecture including Mt. Daisen, the highest peak in western Japan where you can enjoy mountain climbing and skiing, Mitoku Temple’s Nageire Hall built on top of a cliff, Shigeru Mizuki Road along which many bronze statues of yokai(goblins) are situated, and the atmospheric Shirakabe Dozo-gun storehouses.
Food
Matsuba crab is the dish which represents Tottori in the winter. You will want to try the crab sushi, tomalley and other luxurious dishes. There are also plenty of other examples of local cuisine including kakinoha-zushi, Daisen okowa rice, Tottori burgers, Tottori curry, and ramen in beef bone soup.
Transportation
From Tokyo, it’s common to travel to Tottori by train or air. In case of train, you can take the Tokaido or Sanyo Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Ehime and from there, transfer to the train that will take you to Tottori Station in a minimum of 5 hours. By plane, taking a flight from Haneda Airport to Tottori Airport and other airports in the vicinity will take approximately 3 hours. Please select the appropriate mode of transportation to fit your budget and time. Tour buses operate within the vicinity of the Tottori Sand Dunes and The Sand Museum. To see other areas, rental car or tourist taxi is convenient.
Accommodations
There is a good balance of accommodations available with hotels around Tottori Station which is close to the sand dunes, Yonago with Yonago Airport and Kaike Onsen, and Kurayoshi with Misasa Onsen. Since there are also many ski resorts along the mountains, there are plenty of hotels in that area.