Tottori travel: start with the dunes or Yonago?
Stay near Tottori Station for the dunes and sand museum. For Mizuki Shigeru's work, use Yonago as a base for Sakaiminato. Kurayoshi is between the two, but its station and warehouse streets are apart, so add a bus journey.
Start with the Tottori attractions you want to see
Dunes and museum are in eastern Tottori City; warehouses and Utsubuki Park are in central Kurayoshi; yokai street and Yonago Castle Ruins are in the west. Choose whether to combine the dunes walk and exhibition in one day or split them over two.
Itineraries by trip length
Start with the dunes and sand museum, or continue to Kurayoshi's old streets. To include Sakaiminato's yokai street and Yonago Castle Ruins, choose a route moving accommodation west. Check the departure station on your last sightseeing day.
2 days / 1 night
Stay near Tottori Station for dunes, museum and Tottori Castle Ruins, or near Yonago for yokai street and Yonago Castle Ruins. JR between the cities takes time, with extra bus or train travel to the attractions. For two days, choose one side to leave more time for sightseeing.
3 days / 2 nights
For a day each at the dunes, museum and city castle ruins, stay two nights in Tottori. Alternatively, combine dunes and exhibition on day one, then move to Kurayoshi for warehouses and Utsubuki Park. The first route ends at Tottori Station; the second ends at Kurayoshi Station.
4 days / 3 nights
Stay one night each in Tottori, Kurayoshi and Yonago, moving west, or two in Tottori and one in Kurayoshi for eastern and central walks. Visit Sakaiminato as a day trip from Yonago. On moving days, choose JR to the next accommodation city first, then check transport to attractions and back to that night's base.
5 days / 4 nights
For yokai sculptures and Yonago Castle Ruins, stay two nights in Tottori, one in Kurayoshi and one in Yonago. For more time at Tottori Castle Ruins and Utsubuki Park, stay three in Tottori and one in Kurayoshi. East/central route costs exclude a Yonago return trip.
Which area should I stay in?
Accommodation and sightseeing areas
Tottori City is in the east, Kurayoshi in the centre, and Yonago and Sakaiminato in the west. Putting the dunes and Sakaiminato into one day leaves much of a short trip for station transfers. Start by choosing the side where you will arrive.
Official Tottori Sand Dunes guideOfficial Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guideOfficial Mizuki Shigeru Museum guide
Choose accommodation, arrival and departure stations
Stay near Tottori Station for the dunes, Hakuto Shrine and Tottori Castle Ruins; near Kurayoshi Station for the warehouse streets and Utsubuki Park; or near Yonago Station for Sakaiminato and Yonago Castle Ruins. Routes that change cities end at the last accommodation base's station. Add separate JR travel if returning to your arrival station.
Operator's route 39 timetable and faresKurayoshi boarding points and return guideOfficial Mizuki Shigeru Museum guideCity tourism and luggage-storage guide
Compare transport passes
Compare Tottori–Matsue Pass with ordinary tickets
The adult Tottori–Matsue Pass costs JPY 4,000 for three consecutive days. It covers JR between Tottori, Kurayoshi and Yonago and the Sakai Line within the official map. Its designated buses are Loop Kirinjishi and Matsue Lake Line. Route 39 Sakyu Line, Kurayoshi routes 11 and 12 and Kururi buses in these itineraries are budgeted separately.
Four-day route A and five-day route A include Tottori–Kurayoshi JPY 680, Kurayoshi–Yonago JPY 990 and Sakai Line return JPY 660: JR base fares totalling JPY 2,330. For these local-train journeys alone, ordinary tickets cost less than the pass. Recompare actual sections, seats and dates if adding limited expresses or more travel.
A non-Japanese passport and Temporary Visitor status are required. Reserved seats need booking in advance. The pass does not cover the whole five-day itinerary, admission, accommodation or meals. Check dated trains before choosing its start date.
JR Tottori–Matsue Pass coverage and eligibilityJR trains and fare search
Transport, food and cameras
Tottori Sand Dunes camera
Check the scene within the camera's view. Follow facility guides for opening, bookings and transport operation.
Tottori Sand Dunes camera →Matsuba crab and beef-bone broth ramen guide
Use this to choose winter crab dishes or beef-bone broth ramen. It is a prefecture-wide guide; check the actual address and menu of any restaurant you add to the route.
Matsuba crab and beef-bone broth ramen guide →Tottori Prefecture cameras
Choose the actual places shown from this prefecture's camera list.
Tottori Prefecture cameras →Sakyu Line timetable and fares
Choose an outbound dunes service and a return to Tottori from the museum stop.
Sakyu Line timetable and fares →Hakuto timetables by day
Distinguish weekday services from Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays for outbound and return times.
Hakuto timetables by day →Warehouse-street route 11 timetable
Check services from Kurayoshi stand 2 via Park Square and the return via the same route.
Warehouse-street route 11 timetable →Park route 12 timetable
The fare to City Hall / Utsubuki Park Entrance is JPY 230 one way. Check the timetable alongside dated operating notices.
Park route 12 timetable →Search JR trains for your date
Enter departure and arrival stations and actual travel dates to recheck return services, transfers and fares.
Search JR trains for your date →Sanyo-San'in Pass coverage
Check your actual journeys and eligibility against official coverage. Choose JR dates and sections first, then compare ordinary tickets with the pass price.
Sanyo-San'in Pass coverage →Areas to explore on separate days in Tottori
Choose by area below, allowing intercity travel and attraction access separately from neighbourhood walks.
Region name
Tottori Prefecture · 鳥取県
Tottori Station, dunes and city castle ruins
Use route 39 from the station's north bus terminal for the dunes and museum. Leave Kyusho Park and castle ruins for a separate day using the green Kururi loop bus. The two bus services have different fares.
Official Tottori Sand Dunes guideOperator's route 39 timetable and faresNorth exit stand 0 and direction-specific stops
Kurayoshi Station and warehouse streets
The warehouses are away from the station. The routes use service 11 via Park Square for the streets and service 12 for Utsubuki Park on separate days. Check the return route and stop for each.
Official Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guideKurayoshi boarding points and return guideRoute 11 Yashiro Line timetables by dayHinomaru routes and fares
Yonago Station and Sakaiminato
Use a JR Sakai Line return trip from Yonago for yokai street and the museum. Keep the time for climbing Yonago Castle Ruins separate from Sakaiminato travel.
Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum guideOfficial JR search entry pointJR trains and fare search
Find routes from your departure station to each attraction
Allow walking and time on trains and buses separately. Each attraction guide also includes return arrangements.
Tottori Sand Dunes: there and back
At Tottori Station's north bus terminal stand 0, take route 39 to Sakyu Kaikan (砂丘会館（鳥取砂丘）). The adult fare is JPY 380 one way. Walk a few minutes to the dunes, allowing additional time on the sand. If you are also visiting the museum, choose a Tottori-bound return bus from Suna-no-Bijutsukan-mae.
Official Tottori Sand Dunes guideOperator's route 39 timetable and faresNorth exit stand 0 and direction-specific stops
Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses: there and back
From Kurayoshi Station stand 2, take route 11, the Yashiro Line via Park Square, to Akagawara / White Wall Warehouses (赤瓦・白壁土蔵), then walk about five minutes. The adult fare is JPY 310 one way or JPY 620 return via the same route. Distinguish city-centre services. The attraction guide lists Tottori–Kurayoshi at about 30–40 minutes by limited express or one hour by local train, excluding waiting.
Official Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guideKurayoshi boarding points and return guideRoute 11 Yashiro Line timetables by dayHinomaru routes and fares
Mizuki Shigeru Museum: there and back
Take the JR Sakai Line from Yonago to Sakaiminato terminus, then walk about 10 minutes. The ordinary adult JR base fare is JPY 660 return; look up exact departures for your date.
Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum guideOfficial JR search entry pointJR trains and fare search
Continue to other areas and transport options
For onward travel, compare the direction of accommodation changes and the actual final station first.
Four days: compare Yonago and Sakaiminato with Shimane
Route A visits Sakaiminato from Yonago; B stays in Tottori and Kurayoshi. For Matsue or Izumo, compare the accommodation locations in the Shimane routes. Route A's JR base fares total JPY 2,330, below the JPY 4,000 three-day Tottori–Matsue Pass for these local-train journeys alone. Recompare actual trains and fares for extra Shimane travel or limited expresses.
The destination in the current route, reached by a Sakai Line return trip from Yonago.
Routes staying in Matsue, Yasugi and Izumo. For a day trip from Tottori, check return transport and time at the destination separately.
Check three-consecutive-day validity, JR coverage, Loop Kirinjishi and Lake Line. Sakyu Line, Kururi and Kurayoshi city bus fares in this route are separate.
JR Tottori–Matsue Pass coverage and eligibilityOfficial Sand Museum guideOfficial Mizuki Shigeru Museum guideOperator's route 39 timetable and faresRoute 11 Yashiro Line timetables by dayHinomaru routes and faresJR trains and fare search
Five days: compare western Tottori and Shimane
Route A stays in Yonago, with Sakaiminato and castle ruins on separate days. B spends time on eastern and central walks. For Matsue or Izumo, compare the accommodation locations in the Shimane routes. Route A's JR base fares total JPY 2,330, below the JPY 4,000 three-day pass for these local-train journeys alone. Recompare actual trains and fares for extra Shimane travel or limited expresses.
The destination in the current route, reached by a Sakai Line return trip from Yonago.
Routes staying in Matsue, Yasugi and Izumo. For a day trip from Tottori, check return transport and time at the destination separately.
Check three-consecutive-day validity, JR coverage, Loop Kirinjishi and Lake Line. Sakyu Line, Kururi and Kurayoshi city bus fares in this route are separate.
JR Tottori–Matsue Pass coverage and eligibilityOfficial Sand Museum guideOfficial Mizuki Shigeru Museum guideOperator's route 39 timetable and faresRoute 11 Yashiro Line timetables by dayHinomaru routes and faresJR trains and fare search
Check transport for your next journey
Choose Tottori-bound buses from the dunes and museum and Kurayoshi-bound buses from the warehouse streets first. On westward moving days, connect the return bus to JR towards Kurayoshi or Yonago. Check Sakai Line return trips separately for Sakaiminato from Yonago.
Choose an outbound dunes service and a return to Tottori from the museum stop.
Distinguish weekday services from Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays for outbound and return times.
Check services from Kurayoshi stand 2 via Park Square and the return via the same route.
The fare to City Hall / Utsubuki Park Entrance is JPY 230 one way. Check the timetable alongside dated operating notices.
Enter departure and arrival stations and actual travel dates to recheck return services, transfers and fares.
What should I eat in Tottori?
Choose food in your sightseeing area, checking the day's restaurant menus and prices.
Beef-bone ramen in central and western Tottori
Beef-bone broth ramen is a dish from central and western Tottori. Compare restaurant locations for your Kurayoshi or Yonago meal day. From a Tottori Station stay, check travel to your chosen ramen shop.
Winter Matsuba crab
Matsuba crab means mature male snow crab, a winter food. Ask restaurants about menus for your travel month, preparation and booking conditions. Meals are excluded from the itinerary subtotals.
Choose restaurants where you are staying that day
Match beef-bone broth ramen shops to your nights in Kurayoshi or Yonago and actual addresses. For crab during a Tottori Station stay, use the list below to check restaurant locations, seasonal menus and booking conditions. Meals are extra to route costs.
Tottori tourism guide to beef-bone broth ramenTottori tourism guide to Matsuba crab
Transport, admission and pass comparisons
Buses from Tottori to the dunes and museum and JR from Yonago to Sakaiminato are separate costs. Start with the one-night routes below, then add intercity JR if moving Tottori–Kurayoshi–Yonago. Accommodation, meals and airport travel are extra.
Dunes, sand exhibition and city ruins · JPY 1,760
Museum JPY 800 + Sakyu Line JPY 760 + Kururi JPY 200. Accommodation, meals, airport travel, luggage storage and unlisted transport are extra. Paid activities and separate attractions are excluded. Choose return services for your actual dates.
Official Sand Museum guideOperator's route 39 timetable and faresKururi fares and dated services
Yokai street and Yonago ruins · JPY 1,660
Mizuki museum JPY 1,000 + Sakai Line JPY 330 × 2. Accommodation, meals, airport travel, luggage storage and unlisted transport are extra. Paid activities and separate attractions are excluded. Choose return services for your actual dates.
Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum guideJR trains and fare search
Tottori, Kurayoshi and Yonago JR and regional passes
Compare the Tottori–Matsue Pass's price and coverage with local trains in the pass notes above. If also considering Sanyo-San'in Pass, check any extra journeys in the official coverage map below.
Check your actual journeys and eligibility against official coverage. Choose JR dates and sections first, then compare ordinary tickets with the pass price.
Compare the pass with JR travel between Tottori, Kurayoshi and Yonago and on the Sakai Line over three consecutive days. Ordinary Sakyu Line, Kururi and Kurayoshi buses are budgeted separately.
JR Tottori–Matsue Pass coverage and eligibilityJR trains and fare search
Official Sand Museum guideOperator's route 39 timetable and faresKururi fares and dated servicesOfficial Mizuki Shigeru Museum guideJR trains and fare searchJR Tottori–Matsue Pass coverage and eligibility
Choose for your trip length and visiting conditions
For one night, choose Tottori's dunes area or Yonago's yokai street. With three or four nights, you can move to Kurayoshi and Yonago. On a late-arrival day, check whether both the dunes and museum will fit first.
Two days in Tottori: dunes base or Yonago base?
Stay near Tottori Station for dunes, museum and Tottori Castle Ruins, or near Yonago for yokai street and Yonago Castle Ruins. JR between the cities takes time, with extra bus or train travel to the attractions. For two days, choose one side to leave more time for sightseeing.
Three days in Tottori: stay east or move to Kurayoshi?
For a day each at the dunes, museum and city castle ruins, stay two nights in Tottori. Alternatively, combine dunes and exhibition on day one, then move to Kurayoshi for warehouses and Utsubuki Park. The first route ends at Tottori Station; the second ends at Kurayoshi Station.
Four days in Tottori: continue to Yonago or stay in the east and centre?
Stay one night each in Tottori, Kurayoshi and Yonago, moving west, or two in Tottori and one in Kurayoshi for eastern and central walks. Visit Sakaiminato as a day trip from Yonago. On moving days, choose JR to the next accommodation city first, then check transport to attractions and back to that night's base.
Five days in Tottori: continue west or split the east and centre?
For yokai sculptures and Yonago Castle Ruins, stay two nights in Tottori, one in Kurayoshi and one in Yonago. For more time at Tottori Castle Ruins and Utsubuki Park, stay three in Tottori and one in Kurayoshi. East/central route costs exclude a Yonago return trip.
Cameras before your Tottori trip
Use these as supporting views of the filmed places. Check facility operation and transport in official guides.
Tottori Sand Dunes camera
Before visiting the dunes, check the linked camera's view and update time. Paths outside its view and museum operation need separate checks.
Tottori Prefecture cameras
Look for a feed in the area where you will stay: Tottori, Kurayoshi or Yonago. A feed from another town does not establish weather near your accommodation.
Frequently asked questions
How many days should I allow for the dunes and Sakaiminato?
The dunes and museum are in eastern Tottori City; yokai street and Mizuki's museum are in western Sakaiminato. For two days, choose dunes and museum plus city castle ruins, or yokai street plus Yonago Castle Ruins. For both areas, compare four- and five-day routes with JR travel and accommodation changes, deciding whether to include Kurayoshi.
Official Tottori Sand Dunes guideOfficial Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guideOfficial Mizuki Shigeru Museum guide
Official sources and dates checked
- Official Tottori Sand Dunes guide ·
- Official Sand Museum guide ·
- Official Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guide ·
- Kurayoshi boarding points and return guide ·
- Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum guide ·
- Kururi fares and dated services ·
- City tourism and luggage-storage guide ·
- Operator's route 39 timetable and fares ·
- North exit stand 0 and direction-specific stops ·
- Hinomaru routes and fares ·
- Route 11 Yashiro Line timetables by day ·
- Official JR search entry point ·
- JR trains and fare search ·
- JR Tottori–Matsue Pass coverage and eligibility ·
- Tottori tourism guide to beef-bone broth ramen ·
- Tottori tourism guide to Matsuba crab ·