Sand The Dunes In Tottori

Yes, there are sand dunes in Japan.

It happens to be the place we first travelled to together. We stayed at a cute and efficient hotel (Hotel Resh) and Siew introduced to me the concept of coin laundry.

We were there only for the sand dunes, but as luck would have it, it was pouring like mad the first time we went by. Tourists were all keeping away, and on account of the strong winds (that warped our umbrellas, so we bought ponchos), the shopkeeper lady asked us (or so Siew claimed) to please not be blown away.

We walked gingerly onto the sand, and stopped before long because we were somewhat afraid of being blown downhill and/or into the sea.

It was not possible to guess how far along we were, but when we returned the next day, I laughed at how far away we were from the sea or any downward slope. Tottori has a large expanse of sand dunes, and I guess heaven took pity on us and sent blue skies and a calmer wind so that we could enjoy our time up and down those soft cones. We walked and became the little ants in other people’s photographs. We took many photographs, but looking back at them, I wonder why I wasn’t a better photographer. Maybe sand dunes are meant for trooping up and down on in person, for one to observe the changes as the wind blew, and for me to wonder whether it was more fun to dive into the sea or just plonk myself down into the sand.

Tottori is not a place the usual tourist goes to. It faces the Sea of Japan and is to the northwest of Osaka, and 3 hours away by bus. If you are going by train, it runs on a private railway on some part and hence you will need to pay a supplement even if you have the Japan Rail Pass. The first time we went, Siew took a butt-numbing bus from Osaka while I was on a march from west to east (having landed at Fukuoka) and hence arrived from Hiroshima (I think the trip was rather long so I would rather not remember too much).

By the time you get to Tottori, you would have realised that you are passing into a less populated region, and made time for the scenery, and maybe ready yourself to be spooked (the Sanin region is said to be the birthplace of the Japanese Shinto mythology).

We waited for the bus at this bus stop. There was an adjoining shelter, with old posters of past idols and miscellaneous cleaning tools.

Japan feels too multi-dimensional for outsiders to understand, and I know Tottori is not just about sand dunes. As luck would have it, I visited Tottori briefly again some years later. I was able to see a bit more of the place, but really, even if it were just to see the sand dunes, I would tell you it is worth all the effort.