Tottori: Japan's Only Real Desert Landscape, and Why So Few Tourists Go

The Tottori Sand Dunes are the largest in Japan and look nothing like the rest of the country — wind-sculpted sand ridges stretching along the coast, with camel rides and sandboarding available. They're a genuine geological oddity rather than a manufactured tourist prop, and worth the visit if you're already in the area, though a single walk-through is enough for most people; it's not a full-day destination on its own.

In Sakaiminato, Mizuki Shigeru Road is a shopping street lined with bronze statues of yokai (folklore spirits) from the manga GeGeGe no Kitaro, created by Mizuki Shigeru, who grew up in Sakaiminato — a fun, low-key stop if you like Japanese folklore or manga history. Tottori is also one of Japan's top snow crab (matsuba-gani) ports; it's a genuine regional specialty in season (roughly November to March, but confirm current dates), though it's not cheap and best had at a dedicated crab restaurant.

Tottori is Japan's least populated prefecture and gets comparatively few foreign visitors. There's no Shinkansen — you're relying on limited express trains or flights into Tottori Airport — and a rental car makes a real difference for seeing more than the dunes. If you want a quieter, more rural side of Japan and don't mind the extra planning, it delivers; if you want convenience, it's not the easiest add-on.