Tottori Sand Dunes

Tottori Sand Dunes (Tottori Sakyū) are located along the coast of the Sea of Japan in Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture. They are one of Japan’s most representative coastal sand dunes and a specially protected area of the San’in Kaigan National Park. Stretching about 2.4 km from north to south and 16 km from east to west, the dunes were designated a National Natural Monument in 1955 and selected as one of the “Japan’s Top 100 Geological Sites” in 2007. Alongside Mount Daisen, they are considered a symbol of Tottori Prefecture. Although often referred to as one of the “Three Great Sand Dunes of Japan,” opinions differ as to which other two dunes are included in this trio.

The formation of the Tottori Sand Dunes originates from the weathering of granite in the Chūgoku Mountains, which was carried into the sea by the Sendai River. The sand was then deposited along the coast by ocean currents, and strong sea winds gradually blew it inland, shaping the vast dune landscape. The dunes mainly extend from Iwado in Fukube-chō, Tottori City, to Hakuto in Tottori City. The most famous sightseeing area is the Hamazaka Sand Dunes, about 545 hectares on the east bank of the Sendai River. To the southeast of the dunes lies Lake Tanei (Tane-ga-ike), formed when the dunes blocked off seawater from the coast.

The dunes have height differences of up to 90 meters. One of the most distinctive features is the hollow known as “Suribachi (Great Sand Bowl),” with a maximum elevation difference of about 40 meters. Depending on wind direction and speed, the dune surfaces create unique landscapes, such as “sand curtains” formed by collapsing sand, and “wind ripples,” which appear when the wind blows at about 5 to 6 meters per second, resembling natural patterns drawn in the sand. At the bottom of the Suribachi, groundwater springs up, forming a small pond known as an “oasis.” In 2017, due to melting snow, the oasis temporarily expanded to about 5,430 square meters with a water depth of 1.4 meters.

Within the dune area, there are three dune ridges running roughly parallel to the Sea of Japan. Originally, they were counted from the land side as the first, second, and third dune ridges. However, after their designation as a Natural Monument, to prevent the inland ridges from disappearing due to sand depletion, the counting method was reversed. Now, the seaward ridge is referred to as the first, followed inland by the second and third.