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Tired of Temples? Try Tottori Dunes

By on October 18, 2018

 

When we think of a weekend away from Tokyo, for most of us, the usual suspects will pop into our heads: Hakone, Mt. Fuji, Nikko, Kusatsu, Nara, and, of course, Kyoto.

A place unlikely to seep into our mind is Tottori Dunes––a relatively unspoken spectacle stretching over fifteen kilometres along the Sea of Japan. For more than 100,000 years these golden curves have been flexing their very beautiful muscles.

By car, coming from the east, you’re immediately mesmerized by the stunning vistas of the San-in coastline with its golden sands, giant crags covered in bright green trees, azure-hued sea with cerulean pools swirling round the rocks––and that’s just the very beginning (do keep your eyes on the road, mind you!) For the young of age or the young at heart, this magnificent coastline oozes serenity and offers something very special for one and all.

Due to the humdrum reviews I’d heard about this place over the past year or so, I thought I’d take a couple of photos and be on my way. I pulled into the car park at the standard-issue curry rice and souvenir cafeteria, locked up the bike and… Wow! It’s not the Grand Canyon by any stretch, but it’s hugely spectacular. It’s as though an alien craft sucked up part of the Sahara at the dawn of time, and beamed it down on Tottori’s coast to confuse the life out of everyone.

The small side entrance off the main road gives the feeling of entering a parallel universe. It appears like an elaborate, outrageously expensive virtual reality game, with enormous hills of sand and more than the occasional photo opportunity. Bring your buckets and spades… and a gigabyte’s worth of memory for your camera.

The first thing I did was to remove my socks and shoes. The second thing was to become nine years old again and sprint with glee straight toward the main dune. The view from the top was majestic: cobalt-blue sea with snow-white waves, a cyan sky, nursery-book clouds, a 180 degree view of the beach, and highlands curving round into the horizon—absolutely sublime!

The giant sand dune was of course the main magnet for me and will be for you and your little ones! For lens-loving teenagers and parents, three minutes either side of the monster-dune, there is nothing but symmetrical patterns in the sand and not a footprint to behold––this is truly one of the most photogenic spots in Japan. As the sun dipped into the sea, creating sumptuous shadows on the extra-terrestrial landscape, I quite literally had to force myself to leave.

If just being there isn’t enough, you can take the kids on a camel ride, recline like a Victorian in a horse-drawn carriage, or conquer restless teens with a spot of parasailing for around ¥10,000 at Zero Paraglider School (Tel: 0857-29-9098 or 0727-53-8890).　https://twitter.com/akikiwww/status/866938201335709696

It gets better: after you’ve built your sandcastle (real size, surely), head to the Warabekan Museum of toys, nursery rhymes and children’s songs, located in the city’s center (www.warabe.or.jp). For oyaji dads and those needing to blast some of that sand away, Tottori is also home to two popular resorts: Misasa—which boasts the best onsen experience in the area—and Yoshioka.

When the weather is warm, approximately 200,000 fireflies can be seen flittering around contentedly at the nearby river, a truly magnificent sight for the whole family to behold!  (www.town.misasa.tottori.jp/english)

Whichever option you take, whether sand, camels, or volcanic water, Tottori really is a welcome rest from the temples and museums of the usual weekend trip. Fly in less than an hour, then start climbing.

Last one to the top takes the photo…!

Info:

Sain’in Kaigan Geopark Center    http://www.sanin-geoparkkan.jp/eng/

Rent a camel at Rakudaya  http://rakudaya.info/camel

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