TOTTORI SAND DUNES AND SAND CASTLE MUSEUM: TRAVEL GUIDE + ITINERARY

This is a detailed Tottori Sand Dunes travel guide, with sample itinerary and budget.

Wind rippled hills of sand curve and stretch for approximately 16 kilometers from east to west and 2 kilometers from north to south along the coast of the Sea of Japan in Tottori.  I run hurriedly to see and sense the thrill of space that sweeps the enticing landscape swimming in light. The wind here blows fiercely, swirling across the plain, reason why the landscape here changes every day.

TOTTORI SAND DUNES

Is there really a sand dune in Japan? Yes! Aside from Mt.Daisen and Conan Town, Tottori is best known for Tottori Sand Dunes, the biggest of its kind in Japan. It is part of the Sanin Kaigan National Park, and I was lucky enough to visit it on my recent trip to Tottori Prefecture in Japan.

The Tottori Sand Dunes is believed to be created from the sediments of Chugoku Mountains that were carried by the wind and the Sendaigawa River to the Sea of Japan and were redeposited by the sea’s current along the coast of Tottori over 100,000 years.

Today, Tottori Sand Dunes attracts curious travelers from around the world. During winter, part of it is blanketed by snow and in autumn, the east side is carpeted by hundreds of purple scallion flowers in full bloom. There’s also a handful of activities  in Tottori Sand Dunes that caters to tourists, such as sandboarding, paragliding, fat bike riding, and camel riding.

Tottori Sand Dunes Entrance Fee: FREE

How to get to Tottori Sand Dunes:

Option 1 (By Regular City Bus)

Fare: ¥370 (adult) and ¥180 (child)

Travel Time: Approximately 20 minutes

Departures: every hour

 1.From Bus Stop #0 at Tottori Station Bus Terminal, take the Sakyu Line.

2.Alight at Sakyu Center Tenbo Dai or at Sakyu Kita-guchi.

3.Walk for about 2 minutes to Tottori Sand Dunes

Option 2 (By Kirin Jishi Loop Bus)

Fare: ¥300 per ride, or buy the ¥600 1 day bus pass

Travel Time: Approximately 25 minutes

Departures: every 1-2 hours

*Only available from late July to end of August, on weekends, and on national holidays. You can purchase ticket on the bus or at Tottori Bus Terminal.

1.From Bus Stop#0 at Tottori Station Bus Terminal, take the Kirin Jishi Loop Bus A-course.

2.Alight at Sakyu Kita-guchi or at Sakyu Center Tenbo Dai.

3.Walk for about 2 minutes to Tottori Sand Dunes

Option 3 (By taxi)

Fare: ¥2,500 (₱1196, $23),  (good for 2-4 persons)

Travel Time: Approximately 20 minutes

1.Take a taxi from Tottori Station.

2.Alight at Tottori Sand Dunes.

TOTTORI SAND MUSEUM

While you are at it, don’t miss the Tottori Sand Dunes Museum just a stone’s throw away. It is the only open-air museum in Japan that exhibits sand sculptures.  Sand sculptors around the world gather every year here to create different sand sculptures as the theme varies each year.  The gigantic sand sculptures are truly mesmerising, I highly recommend this place.

Tottori Sand Museum Entrance Fee: ¥600 (₱ 286, $6,SGD 7, MYR 23, AUD 8)

Open Hours:Daily 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Last admission at 5:30 PM)

 How to get to Tottori Sand Museum:

 Option 1 (By Regular City Bus)

Fare: Adult  – ¥370 (₱177, $3.41) and child – ¥180 (₱86, $1.66)

Travel Time: Approximately 20 minutes

Departures: every hour

1.At Tottori Station Bus Terminal Bus Stop #0, board the Sakyu Line bus.

2.Get off at Sakyu Center Tenbo Dai or at Sakyu Kita-guchi.

3.Walk for about 1 minute to Tottori Sand Museum.

Option 2 (By Kirin Jishi Loop Bus)

Fare: ¥300 (₱143, $3) per ride, or buy the ¥600 (₱287, $6) – 1 day bus pass

Travel Time: Approximately 25 minutes

Departures: every 1-2 hours

*Only available from late July to end of August, on weekends, and on national holidays. You can purchase ticket on the bus or at Tottori Bus Terminal.

1.From Bus Stop#0 at Tottori Station Bus Terminal, ride the Kirin Jishi Loop Bus A-course.

2.Get off at Sakyu Kita-guchi or at Sakyu Center Tenbo Dai.

3.Walk for about 1 minute to Tottori Sand Museum

Option 3 (By taxi)

Fare: ¥2,500 (₱1196, $23),   (good for 2-4 persons)

Travel Time: Approximately 20 minutes

1.Take a taxi from Tottori Station.

2.Alight at Tottori Sand Museum.

TOTTORI SAND DUNES SIDE TRIP:

TOTTORI PEAR PICKING

 Near Tottori Sand Dunes and Totorri Sand Museum is Sankouen, a pear orchard.  Sankouen is a popular pear picking farm in Tottori, with over 100 years of experience in growing pears.  Planted here are 10 kind of pears and you can pick pears and eat-all-you-can for a fee. We visited during the off-season, but I got to try one! It’s pretty huge and really sweet, not like the ordinary pears we have in the Philippines. I highly recommend this place!

Sankouen Pear Orchard (Tottori)

Address: Address: 1973, Yuyama, Fukube-cho, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture689-0105

Phone Number: +81-857-20-1174

Open Hours: Daily 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (July – November)

Pear Picking Fee: Adult – ¥1,000 (₱478, $9), (5 year old to elementary students) ¥900 (₱431, $8)

 How to get to Sankouen Pear Farm:

 From Tottori Station:

Fare: ¥370 (₱177, $3.41)

Travel time: 36 mins (bus + walking)

1.Take the bus to Nagatani-bashi Kaburashima.

2.Alight at Sakyu Higashiguchi bus stop. (1 stop away) 1 min.

3.Walk to Sankouen Pear Orchard. Use Google Maps. 15 mins.

From Tottori Sand Dunes:

Fare: ¥160 (₱76, $1.47)

Travel time: 18 mins (Bus + walk)

How to get to Sankouen (Pear Farm):

1.Walk to Kodomonokuniiriguchi Bus Stop. 2 mins.

2.Take the Iwai-sen (Iwai Line/Iwai Onsen) bus to Nagatani-bashi Ko (Hasebashi Line) or to Kabushima-gyo (Sugashima Line). Check Google Maps for bus schedules.

3.Alight at Sakyuhigashiguchi Bus Stop. 1 min.

4.Walk to Sankouen Pear Farm. 14 mins.

TOTTORI SAND DUNES ITINERARY + BUDGET

Here’s a sample Tottori Sand Dunes itinerary with budget for 1 day.  It’s a great day trip from Tottori City.

Attractions covered: Tottori Sand Dunes, Tottori Sand Museum, and Sokouen Peach Farm.

TOTTORI SERIES:

OSAKA TO TOTTORI

TOKYO TO TOTTORI

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