Tottori travel: start with the dunes or Yonago?

Overnight bases and sightseeing areas

Tottori city is in the east, Kurayoshi in the center, and Yonago and Sakaiminato in the west. Combining the dunes and Sakaiminato in one day on a short trip leaves much of the day for travel between stations. Start with the side where you arrive.

Official Tottori Sand Dunes guide2026-10-08Official Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guide2026-10-08Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum information2026-10-08

Choose your accommodation and arrival/departure stations

Stay near Tottori Station for the dunes, Hakuto Shrine, and Tottori Castle Ruins; near Kurayoshi Station for the warehouse district and Utsubuki Park; or near Yonago Station for Sakaiminato and Yonago Castle Ruins. Itineraries that change cities end at the station of the final overnight base. Add a separate JR journey if you need to return to your arrival station.

Operator's Route 39 timetable and fare chart2026-10-08Kurayoshi bus boarding and return guidance2026-10-08Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum information2026-10-08City tourism and luggage storage guidance2026-10-08

Regional name

Tottori Prefecture · 鳥取県

Tottori Station, dunes, and city castle ruins

Use Route 39, the Sand Dunes Line, from the station's north-side terminal for the dunes and Sand Museum. Give Kyusho Park and the castle ruins a separate day using the green Kururi loop bus. The Sand Dunes Line and Kururi have different fares; check each.

Official Tottori Sand Dunes guide2026-10-08Operator's Route 39 timetable and fare chart2026-10-08North exit stop 0 and direction-specific boarding guidance2026-10-08

Kurayoshi Station and the white-walled warehouses

The warehouse district is not directly outside the station. These itineraries separate a Route 11 trip via Park Square from stop 2 to the warehouses and a Route 12 trip to Utsubuki Park. Check the return route and stop for each.

Official Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guide2026-10-08Kurayoshi bus boarding and return guidance2026-10-08Route 11 Yashiro Line weekday and holiday timetables2026-10-08Hinomaru routes and fares2026-10-08

Yonago Station and Sakaiminato

For the yokai street and museum, take a JR Sakai Line round trip from Yonago to Sakaiminato. Keep the time for climbing Yonago Castle Ruins separate from the Sakaiminato journey.

Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum information2026-10-08Official JR journey search2026-10-08JR train and fare search2026-10-08

Getting to and from the Tottori Sand Dunes

From stop 0 at Tottori Station's north-side bus terminal, take Route 39, the Sand Dunes Line, to its final stop, Sakyu Kaikan · 砂丘会館（鳥取砂丘）. The adult one-way fare is ¥380. The dunes are a few minutes' walk away; walking over the sand hills takes extra time. If also visiting the museum, choose a Tottori Station-bound return from the Sand Museum stop.

Official Tottori Sand Dunes guide2026-10-08Operator's Route 39 timetable and fare chart2026-10-08North exit stop 0 and direction-specific boarding guidance2026-10-08

Getting to and from the Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses

From Kurayoshi Station stop 2, take Route 11, the Yashiro Line, via Park Square to Akagawara/Shirakabe Dozo · 赤瓦・白壁土蔵, then walk about five minutes. Adult fares are ¥310 one-way or ¥620 round-trip on the same route. Distinguish services via the city center. Facility guidance lists Tottori–Kurayoshi as about 30–40 minutes by limited express or about an hour by ordinary train, excluding waits.

Official Kurayoshi White Wall Warehouses guide2026-10-08Kurayoshi bus boarding and return guidance2026-10-08Route 11 Yashiro Line weekday and holiday timetables2026-10-08Hinomaru routes and fares2026-10-08

Getting to and from Mizuki Shigeru Museum

Take a Sakaiminato-bound JR Sakai Line train from Yonago Station to the final stop, then walk about ten minutes. The adult JR base fare is ¥660 round-trip; search separately for exact departures on your date.

Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum information2026-10-08Official JR journey search2026-10-08JR train and fare search2026-10-08

Four days: compare Yonago/Sakaiminato with Shimane

Three-night A takes a Sakaiminato round trip from Yonago; B stays in Tottori and Kurayoshi. If continuing to Matsue or Izumo, compare the overnight direction in the Shimane itineraries. A's JR base fares total ¥2,330, separate from the ¥4,000 three-day Tottori-Matsue Pass. The pass does not save money on these ordinary-train journeys alone. Recompare actual services and fares if adding Shimane travel or limited expresses.

JR Tottori-Matsue Pass coverage and eligibility2026-10-09Official Sand Museum visitor information2026-10-08Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum information2026-10-08Operator's Route 39 timetable and fare chart2026-10-08Route 11 Yashiro Line weekday and holiday timetables2026-10-08Hinomaru routes and fares2026-10-08JR train and fare search2026-10-08

Five days: compare western Tottori with Shimane

Four-night A stays in Yonago and visits Sakaiminato and Yonago Castle Ruins on separate days; B leaves more time for walks in eastern and central Tottori. If continuing to Matsue or Izumo, compare the overnight direction in the Shimane itineraries. A's JR base fares total ¥2,330, separate from the ¥4,000 three-day Tottori-Matsue Pass. The pass does not save money on these ordinary-train journeys alone. Recompare actual services and fares if adding Shimane travel or limited expresses.

JR Tottori-Matsue Pass coverage and eligibility2026-10-09Official Sand Museum visitor information2026-10-08Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum information2026-10-08Operator's Route 39 timetable and fare chart2026-10-08Route 11 Yashiro Line weekday and holiday timetables2026-10-08Hinomaru routes and fares2026-10-08JR train and fare search2026-10-08

Check transport for your onward journey

Choose the return to Tottori Station from the dunes or Sand Museum, or the return to Kurayoshi Station from the warehouse district, first. On westbound hotel-change days, connect that return bus to a JR train toward Kurayoshi or Yonago. Check the Sakai Line round trip separately for Sakaiminato visits while staying in Yonago.

Gyukotsu ramen in Kurayoshi and central/western Tottori

Gyukotsu ramen uses a beef-bone broth and is a regional food of central and western Tottori. Compare restaurant locations for a meal on a Kurayoshi or Yonago day. If staying near Tottori Station, also check travel to your chosen ramen shop.

Tottori tourism guide to gyukotsu ramen2026-10-09

Matsuba crab in winter

Matsuba crab refers to mature male snow crab and is a winter specialty. For a crab meal, ask the restaurant about menus for your travel month, preparation styles, and booking conditions. Meals are excluded from the itinerary's checked costs.

Tottori tourism guide to Matsuba crab2026-10-09

Choose restaurants near where you stay that day

For gyukotsu ramen, compare restaurant addresses with your Kurayoshi or Yonago overnight plans. For a crab meal while staying near Tottori Station, use the list below to check the actual restaurant location, menu for your travel month, and booking conditions. Food costs are separate from itinerary subtotals.

Dunes, sand sculptures, and city castle ruins · ¥1,760

Sand Museum ¥800 + Sand Dunes Line ¥760 + Kururi ¥200. Lodging, meals, airport transfers, luggage storage, and unlisted transportation are separate. Paid activities and admission to other facilities are excluded. Choose outbound and return services for your travel date.

Official Sand Museum visitor information2026-10-08Operator's Route 39 timetable and fare chart2026-10-08Kururi fares and date-specific services2026-10-08

Yokai street and Yonago Castle Ruins · ¥1,660

Mizuki Shigeru Museum ¥1,000 + Sakai Line ¥330 × 2 rides. Lodging, meals, airport transfers, luggage storage, and unlisted transportation are separate. Paid activities and admission to other facilities are excluded. Choose outbound and return services for your travel date.

Official Mizuki Shigeru Museum information2026-10-08JR train and fare search2026-10-08

JR between Tottori, Kurayoshi, and Yonago and regional passes

Compare Tottori-Matsue Pass prices and coverage with ordinary-train fares in the pass guidance above. If considering the Sanyo-San'in Area Pass, check any additional sections you will ride against the official coverage below.

JR Tottori-Matsue Pass coverage and eligibility2026-10-09JR train and fare search2026-10-08

Tottori in two days: stay near the dunes or Yonago?

Stay one night near Tottori Station for the dunes, Sand Museum, and Tottori Castle Ruins, or near Yonago Station for the yokai street and Yonago Castle Ruins. JR travel between the stations takes time, with another bus or train needed for the dunes or Sakaiminato. On a two-day trip, choose one side to leave more time for sightseeing.

Tottori in three days: stay in the east or move to Kurayoshi?

Stay two nights in Tottori to give the dunes walk, Sand Museum, and city castle ruins a day each. Alternatively, combine the dunes and exhibition on day one, then change hotels to Kurayoshi for the warehouse district and Utsubuki Park. The single-base itinerary ends at Tottori Station; the hotel-change itinerary ends at Kurayoshi Station.

Tottori in four days: continue to Yonago or stay in the east and center?

Move west with one night each in Tottori, Kurayoshi, and Yonago, or split eastern dunes and castle visits from central walks with two nights in Tottori and one in Kurayoshi. Sakaiminato is a day trip from your Yonago hotel. On hotel-change days, choose the JR train to the next overnight city first, then check the local trip to the sights and back to that night's lodging.

Tottori in five days: travel west or explore the east and center?

For the yokai street sculptures and Yonago Castle Ruins, move west with two nights in Tottori, one in Kurayoshi, and one in Yonago. For more time at Tottori Castle Ruins and Utsubuki Park, choose three nights in Tottori and one in Kurayoshi. The eastern/central itinerary does not add a Yonago round trip to its costs.

Tottori Sand Dunes camera

Before visiting the dunes, check the linked camera page's field of view and update time. Check conditions on paths outside its view and Sand Museum operations separately.

Tottori Prefecture cameras

Look for a view matching the neighborhood where you will stay in Tottori, Kurayoshi, or Yonago. A camera in another neighborhood does not establish weather around your lodging.