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.
Choose an itinerary for 4 days / 3 nights
Travel west from Tottori through Kurayoshi to Yonago
Stay one night each in Tottori, Kurayoshi and Yonago. Start at the dunes, continue to warehouse streets and the yokai museum, and finish in Yonago.
Travel west from Tottori through Kurayoshi to Yonago →4 days / 3 nights BTottori dunes and castle ruins, then Kurayoshi
Stay two nights in Tottori followed by one in Kurayoshi. Split the dunes and sand exhibition from the city castle ruins, then move to central Tottori. Walk Utsubuki Park on the final day and finish at Kurayoshi Station.
Tottori dunes and castle ruins, then Kurayoshi →Travel west from Tottori through Kurayoshi to Yonago
Stay one night each in Tottori, Kurayoshi and Yonago. Start at the dunes, continue to warehouse streets and the yokai museum, and finish in Yonago.
Day 1: dunes area and a Tottori night
Visit the dunes area, then stay in Tottori.
- Tottori Station / accommodation → Dunes entrance
From stand 0 at Tottori Station's north bus terminal, take route 39, the Sakyu Line, to its terminus at Sakyu Kaikan (砂丘会館（鳥取砂丘）). Follow signs to the dunes entrance. Choose outbound and return buses together in the official timetable, allowing time for the dunes and exhibition.
Operator's route 39 timetable and faresNorth exit stand 0 and direction-specific stops
- Dunes entrance → The Sand Museum
Allow 60–90 minutes for the dunes and shore, with lunch separately. Then follow signs to The Sand Museum's main entrance. Walking between the two is extra to this visiting time.
Official Tottori Sand Dunes guideAdditional transport and opening information
- Museum entrance → Exhibition visit
Allow 60–90 minutes for the exhibition. The current exhibition runs until 3 January 2027, with closure during exhibition changes. Check dates in the attraction guide. The main entrance opens 09:00–18:00, last admission 17:30. Outside the exhibition period, omit the interior visit and its JPY 800 admission.
- The Sand Museum → Tottori accommodation
Return on a Tottori Station-bound Sakyu Line bus from Suna-no-Bijutsukan-mae (砂の美術館前). Choose a service with enough time to walk to the stop after the exhibition. Stay in Tottori tonight.
Operator's route 39 timetable and faresNorth exit stand 0 and direction-specific stops
Day 2: move to central Tottori for the warehouse streets
Move to central Tottori for the warehouse streets.
- Tottori accommodation → Kurayoshi Station / new accommodation
From Tottori Station, take a JR San-in Line train towards Kurayoshi. Make Kurayoshi your base from today, with a warehouse-street visit and return to the station. Match intercity trains and Kurayoshi buses using dated official timetables.
- Kurayoshi Station → White-walled warehouse streets
From stand 2 at Kurayoshi Station, take route 11, the Yashiro Line via Park Square, to Akagawara / White Wall Warehouses (赤瓦・白壁土蔵). Walk about five minutes to the streets. City-centre services have different fares, so choose the same route for both directions.
Kurayoshi boarding points and return guideRoute 11 Yashiro Line timetables by dayOfficial Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guide
- Warehouse-street entrance → Tamagawa and street walk
Allow 90–120 minutes for the warehouse streets and Tamagawa, and roughly 60 minutes for lunch. Beef-bone broth ramen is a meal option; check actual restaurant opening and prices separately.
- Warehouse streets → Kurayoshi accommodation
Return to the Akagawara / White Wall Warehouses stop for a Kurayoshi Station-bound bus. Using the same Park Square route both ways costs JPY 620 for adults. Stay in Kurayoshi tonight.
Kurayoshi boarding points and return guideRoute 11 Yashiro Line timetables by day
Day 3: move to Yonago for yokai street and museum
Move to Yonago for the yokai street and museum.
- Kurayoshi accommodation → Yonago Station / new accommodation
From Kurayoshi, take a JR San-in Line train towards Yonago. Make Yonago your new base for a Sakai Line return trip to Sakaiminato. Choose intercity and return Sakai Line services that leave enough museum time.
- Yonago Station → Mizuki Shigeru Museum
At Yonago, take the JR Sakai Line to its Sakaiminato terminus. Walk roughly 10 minutes along Mizuki Shigeru Road to the museum. Use the official search to choose a return train to Yonago.
JR trains and fare searchOfficial Mizuki Shigeru Museum guide
- Museum entrance → Exhibition and street walk
After the 09:30 opening, allow 60–90 minutes for the exhibition, plus roughly 60 minutes each for street sculptures and lunch. Admission ends at 16:30; if arriving late, shorten the visit or change the day.
- Museum / street → Yonago accommodation
Walk back along the yokai street to Sakaiminato Station and take the Sakai Line towards Yonago. The JR base fare is JPY 660 return. Stay in Yonago tonight.
Day 4: Yonago Castle Ruins and departure from the west
Visit Yonago Castle Ruins before departing from western Tottori.
- Yonago Station / accommodation → Masugata entrance to the ruins
Walk about 15 minutes from Yonago Station to the castle ruins' Masugata entrance. There are no lockers at the ruins; check storage at the station or accommodation first if carrying large bags.
Official castle-ruins accessCity tourism and luggage-storage guide
- Masugata entrance → View from the former keep site
Add about 20 minutes for the uphill path to the keep site, then 20–30 minutes for the view. Skip the summit for a morning flight.
Official castle-ruins accessCity tourism and luggage-storage guide
- Former keep site → Yonago Station / accommodation
Descend by the same path, through the Masugata entrance, and return to Yonago Station. The roughly 20-minute ascent excludes descent and the complete return trip. Skip the summit if rain makes paths slippery or departure time is too close. This route ends at Yonago Station; airport transport is separate.
Official castle-ruins accessCity tourism and luggage-storage guide
Included: The Sand Museum JPY 800 + Mizuki Shigeru Museum JPY 1,000 + Sakyu Line JPY 760 + warehouse-street route 11 JPY 620 + Tottori–Kurayoshi JR JPY 680 + Kurayoshi–Yonago JR JPY 990 + Sakai Line JPY 330 × 2 rides.
Extra costs and conditions: 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 guideOfficial Mizuki Shigeru Museum guideOperator's route 39 timetable and faresRoute 11 Yashiro Line timetables by dayHinomaru routes and faresJR trains and fare search
Tottori dunes and castle ruins, then Kurayoshi
Stay two nights in Tottori followed by one in Kurayoshi. Split the dunes and sand exhibition from the city castle ruins, then move to central Tottori. Walk Utsubuki Park on the final day and finish at Kurayoshi Station.
Day 1: dunes and exhibition in the east
Visit the dunes and exhibition in eastern Tottori.
- Tottori Station / accommodation → Dunes entrance
From stand 0 at Tottori Station's north bus terminal, take route 39, the Sakyu Line, to its terminus at Sakyu Kaikan (砂丘会館（鳥取砂丘）). Follow signs to the dunes entrance. Choose outbound and return buses together in the official timetable, allowing time for the dunes and exhibition.
Operator's route 39 timetable and faresNorth exit stand 0 and direction-specific stops
- Dunes entrance → The Sand Museum
Allow 60–90 minutes for the dunes and shore, with lunch separately. Then follow signs to The Sand Museum's main entrance. Walking between the two is extra to this visiting time.
Official Tottori Sand Dunes guideAdditional transport and opening information
- Museum entrance → Exhibition visit
Allow 60–90 minutes for the exhibition. The current exhibition runs until 3 January 2027, with closure during exhibition changes. Check dates in the attraction guide. The main entrance opens 09:00–18:00, last admission 17:30. Outside the exhibition period, omit the interior visit and its JPY 800 admission.
- The Sand Museum → Tottori accommodation
Return on a Tottori Station-bound Sakyu Line bus from Suna-no-Bijutsukan-mae (砂の美術館前). Choose a service with enough time to walk to the stop after the exhibition. Stay in Tottori tonight.
Operator's route 39 timetable and faresNorth exit stand 0 and direction-specific stops
Day 2: Kyusho Park and restored castle gates, then Tottori
Visit Tottori Castle Ruins and Kyusho Park on a separate day from the dunes.
- Tottori Station / accommodation → Kyusho Park entrance
From Tottori Station, take the green Kururi loop bus to Jinpukaku / Prefectural Museum (仁風閣・県立博物館). The lower park at Tottori Castle Ruins is just in front of the stop.
Kururi fares and dated servicesCity tourism guide to castle ruins and access
- Kyusho Park entrance → Restored gates and stone walls
Allow 60–90 minutes for restored gates, bridges, stone walls and the lower park. Jinpukaku's interior is closed for works. This route excludes the mountain summit.
- Kyusho Park → Tottori Station / accommodation
Return to Tottori Station on the same loop bus from the park-front stop. Stay in Tottori again tonight.
Day 3: move to Kurayoshi for Tamagawa and warehouse streets
Move to Kurayoshi for Tamagawa and the warehouse streets.
- Tottori accommodation → Kurayoshi Station / new accommodation
From Tottori Station, take a JR San-in Line train towards Kurayoshi. Make Kurayoshi your base from today, with a warehouse-street visit and return to the station. Match intercity trains and Kurayoshi buses using dated official timetables.
- Kurayoshi Station → White-walled warehouse streets
From stand 2 at Kurayoshi Station, take route 11, the Yashiro Line via Park Square, to Akagawara / White Wall Warehouses (赤瓦・白壁土蔵). Walk about five minutes to the streets. City-centre services have different fares, so choose the same route for both directions.
Kurayoshi boarding points and return guideRoute 11 Yashiro Line timetables by dayOfficial Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guide
- Warehouse-street entrance → Tamagawa and street walk
Allow 90–120 minutes for the warehouse streets and Tamagawa, and roughly 60 minutes for lunch. Beef-bone broth ramen is a meal option; check actual restaurant opening and prices separately.
- Warehouse streets → Kurayoshi accommodation
Return to the Akagawara / White Wall Warehouses stop for a Kurayoshi Station-bound bus. Using the same Park Square route both ways costs JPY 620 for adults. Stay in Kurayoshi tonight.
Kurayoshi boarding points and return guideRoute 11 Yashiro Line timetables by day
Day 4: park walk before Kurayoshi Station
Walk in the park before returning to Kurayoshi Station.
- Kurayoshi Station / accommodation → Utsubuki Park entrance
From Kurayoshi Station stand 2, take route 12, the Yokota Line via the museum, Park Square and city hall, to City Hall / Utsubuki Park Entrance (市役所・打吹公園入口). The tourism guide lists about 17 minutes on the bus, then roughly five minutes on foot. Adult fares are JPY 230 one way, JPY 460 return.
Route 12 weekday and weekend/public holiday timetablesCity park access guideCurrent linked Yokota Line fare tableHinomaru routes and fares
- Utsubuki Park entrance → Pond and lower park walk
Allow 45–60 minutes for the pond and lower park. This excludes a summit hike and does not repeat yesterday's warehouse-street visit.
- Utsubuki Park → Kurayoshi Station / accommodation
Return to the City Hall / Utsubuki Park Entrance stop and choose a depot-bound bus via Kurayoshi Station. This route ends at Kurayoshi; JR back to Tottori is excluded. Choose an official return service with time for the visit and walk to the stop.
Route 12 weekday and weekend/public holiday timetablesKurayoshi boarding points and return guideCurrent linked Yokota Line fare table
Included: The Sand Museum JPY 800 + Sakyu Line JPY 760 + castle-area Kururi buses JPY 200 + warehouse-street route 11 JPY 620 + Tottori–Kurayoshi JR JPY 680 + park route 12 JPY 230 × 2 rides.
Extra costs and conditions: 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 faresRoute 41 timetableHinomaru routes and faresRoute 11 Yashiro Line timetables by dayJR trains and fare searchCurrent linked Yokota Line fare tableKururi fares and dated servicesCity tourism guide to castle ruins and access
Frequently asked questions
Does the four-day route return to Tottori Station?
The westward route ends at Yonago Station; the eastern and central route ends at Kurayoshi Station. A booked departure from Tottori needs separate eastbound JR travel. That return is excluded from these subtotals; check fares and connections separately.
Is a pass cheaper when moving west?
Tottori–Kurayoshi JPY 680, Kurayoshi–Yonago JPY 990 and Sakai Line return JPY 660 total JPY 2,330 in JR base fares. For these local-train journeys alone, ordinary tickets cost less than the JPY 4,000 three-day Tottori–Matsue Pass. Recompare actual journeys and supplements if adding limited expresses or more travel.
JR trains and fare searchJR Tottori–Matsue Pass coverage and eligibility
Official sources and dates checked
- Official Tottori Sand Dunes guide ·
- Official Sand Museum guide ·
- Additional transport and opening information ·
- Official Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guide ·
- Kurayoshi boarding points and return guide ·
- Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum guide ·
- City tourism guide to castle ruins and access ·
- Kururi fares and dated services ·
- Tourism guide to the park ·
- City park access guide ·
- Official castle-ruins access ·
- City tourism and luggage-storage guide ·
- Operator's route 39 timetable and fares ·
- North exit stand 0 and direction-specific stops ·
- Route 41 timetable ·
- Hinomaru routes and fares ·
- Route 11 Yashiro Line timetables by day ·
- Route 12 weekday and weekend/public holiday timetables ·
- JR trains and fare search ·
- Current linked Yokota Line fare table ·
- JR Tottori–Matsue Pass coverage and eligibility ·