The Sand Museum

The Sand Museum (Suna no Bijutsukan) is located at the Tottori Sand Dunes in Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture. Since 2006, it has regularly held sand sculpture exhibitions, making it Japan’s only art museum and cultural event dedicated to sand sculptures.

The exhibitions are usually held once a year, each with a different theme expressed through elaborate sand statues. Because the works require careful preparation and production, the museum is temporarily closed from early in the year until spring for the creation period. The first four exhibitions were displayed outdoors or in temporary tents, but starting from 2012 (the fifth exhibition), the exhibitions have been mainly indoors, allowing the artworks to be more stably preserved and presented. The site also includes a management office and a souvenir shop.

The exhibitions are curated by Japan’s only professional sand sculptor, Katsuhiko Chaen, who invites professional sand sculptors from around the world to create large-scale works based on the theme. In addition, the welcoming sand statue at the entrance and mini sculptures created by general participants add diversity to the exhibition. In some years, live creation events are also held, allowing visitors to watch the birth of sand sculptures up close.

After sunset, the exhibition transforms with nighttime illumination, and the interplay of light and shadow gives the sand sculptures an atmosphere completely different from the daytime, offering visitors a multi-layered artistic experience.