Trip Photo: Tottori Sand Dunes (March, 2024)

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In late March 2024, while traveling through the San’in region, I made a stop at the Tottori Sand Dunes.

Tottori Sand Dunes Visitor Center: https://www.sakyu-vc.com/en/

The Tottori Sand Dunes, stretching 16 km east to west and 2.4 km north to south, are one of Japan’s largest coastal sand dunes and are designated as a national natural monument.

Up until the day before, the Sea of Japan coast had been hit by blizzards and strong winds. But I got lucky – right after I arrived, the clouds started to break up and there were even a few patches of blue sky.

It was still cold and windy, but I was able to walk around the dunes.

Panoramic photo taken at the entrance of the dunes

A hill called “Uma-no-se” (Horse’s Back) seen from the entrance

From a distance, the dunes looked smaller than I expected, but once I stepped onto them, I realized just how huge they really are.

View towards the entrance from the top of ‘Uma-no-se’

Patterns called “fuumon” (wind marks) formed on the sand by the wind

That feeling of trudging step by step through the soft sand, and the view of the stormy Sea of Japan from the top of the dunes – it all felt a bit surreal, like stepping out of everyday life for a moment.