5 Photogenic Power Spots in Tottori

Tottori Prefecture holds spectacular scenery that sleeps beyond just the sand dunes. Mystical torii gates, moss-covered stone pavements, the grand views of mountain sacred sites... Power spots that take your breath away and stir your heart with every turn of the camera are scattered throughout. This article covers Hakuto Shrine, Daisenji Temple, Mitokusan Sanbutsuji Temple Nageiredo, Ube Shrine and Shitori Shrine.

01 | Hakuto Shrine | Photographing Japan's Oldest Love Story at the Stage of a Myth

Hakuto Shrine is known as the birthplace of the "White Hare of Inaba." It is a one-of-a-kind, cute shrine where rabbit stone statues line up here and there across the grounds.

• Photogenic point: The contrast between the pure-white rabbit stone statues and the vivid vermilion shrine pavilion is exquisite. On sunny days, white sand and blue sky join in, for a photo that feels like wandering into the world of a picture book.
• Best time and season: The hours in the morning when soft light streams in are recommended. In spring, the combination with cherry blossoms is also great.
• Shooting angle: A "bokeh" composition, blurring a rabbit stone statue in the foreground while capturing the pavilion in the background, is popular.
• Access: about a 40-minute bus ride from JR Tottori Station

02 | Daisenji Temple | A Thousand-Year-Old Ancient Temple Cradled in the Bosom of the Sacred Mt. Daisen

Standing on the mid-slope of Mt. Daisen, the highest peak in the Chugoku region, Daisenji Temple is a sacred site where overwhelming natural beauty and history merge.

• Photogenic point: The stone pavement leading along the approach and the primeval beech forest spreading on both sides form a grand "green tunnel." In autumn it is dyed in golden foliage, and an unsurpassable spectacular view unfolds.
• Best time and season: Early in the morning during the autumn foliage season (late October to early November), when morning mist hangs low, you can capture a fantastical shot that feels like another world.
• Shooting angle: Stand to one side of the stone pavement and capture the approach continuing into the distance in a vertical composition for an outstanding sense of depth. The centre of an approach is regarded as the deity’s path and also blocks other visitors, so keep to the edge.
• Access: about a 50-minute bus ride from JR Yonago Station

03 | Mitokusan Sanbutsuji Temple Nageiredo | The Most Dangerous National Treasure in Japan, Clinging to a Sheer Cliff

The "Nageiredo," tucked snugly into a cliffside rock cavern, is a mystical architectural beauty that overwhelms all who see it.

• Photogenic point: A vermilion hall that suddenly appears amid the lush green mountainside. The surreal feeling that makes everyone tilt their head and wonder "How did they build that?" is reflected directly in the photo.
• Best time and season: May to June, with the fresh greenery, is the peak of the contrast between green and vermilion. The front lighting in the morning beautifully highlights even the building's fine details.
• Shooting angle: Shooting from the observation deck across the way with a telephoto lens is the standard. Capturing the hall standing small within the vast mountains makes its strangeness stand out.
• Access: about a 40-minute bus ride from JR Kurayoshi Station

04 | Ube Shrine | The Ancient Shrine That Appeared on Japanese Banknotes

Ube Shrine, which enshrines Takenouchi no Sukune, is a power spot known for having appeared on Bank of Japan notes. The shrine and its deity featured on three notes — the five-yen notes of 1899 and 1916 and the one-yen note of 1943 — making it the first shrine ever used in a Bank of Japan note design (Bank of Japan Tottori Office).

• Photogenic point: The charm lies in the dignified beauty exuded by the massive stone torii gate and the stone steps leading along the approach. Moss-covered stone steps and great cedar trees create a solemn atmosphere that seems to transcend time.
• Best time and season: The morning, when dappled sunlight streams through, is recommended. In the fresh-greenery season, the contrast of light and shadow is especially beautiful.
• Shooting angle: A composition looking up from the bottom of the stone steps makes the torii gate and giant trees fill the frame for an overwhelming shot.
• Access: about a 15-minute bus ride from JR Tottori Station

05 | Shitori Shrine | A Hidden Sacred Site Where the Gods of Starry Skies and Matchmaking Reside

Shitori Shrine is an ancient matchmaking shrine that Tottori takes pride in. Precisely because it is not well known, you can aim for quiet spectacular scenery without crowds.

• Photogenic point: The tranquil grounds surrounded by mountains, and the shrine pavilion that is simple yet dignified, make a fine picture. There is little light pollution in the surrounding area. The grounds are not a park, however, and the shrine does not publish whether night visits are permitted, so check with the shrine in advance and shoot from outside the approach or from nearby roads.
• Best time and season: Summer nights are a chance to aim for a collaboration with the Milky Way. The golden time just after sunrise is also fantastical.
• Shooting angle: A composition that takes in a wide expanse of sky with a wide-angle lens and silhouettes the pavilion is fantastical and recommended.
• Access: about a 20-minute taxi ride from JR Kurayoshi Station

The charm of Tottori's shrines and temples is that you can take "photos with a story" wherever you frame them. Please set out on a pilgrimage journey to search for your very own shot.

Practical Information for Your Visit

The details below are drawn from official announcements by the facilities, local governments and transport operators concerned (as of September 2026). Opening hours, fees and road closures change, so please check the official websites linked here before you travel.

Hakuto Shrine

• Shrine office: Normally open 9:00-16:00.
• Prayers: Booking by the previous day is preferred, but same-day requests are accepted. The main hall holds a limited number of people, so large groups should book by phone in advance.
• Access: About 40 minutes by Hinomaru bus from JR Tottori Station to the Hakuto Jinja-mae stop, or about 20 minutes by car from Tottori IC.
• Parking: 125 free spaces shared with the roadside station "Shinwa no Sato Shirousagi" (111 for cars and 14 for large vehicles).
• Etiquette: The centre of the approach is the path of the deity, so walk on the right or left. Do not put your mouth to the ladle at the purification basin and do not drink the water.

(Source: Hakuto Shrine, https://hakutojinja.jp/sanpai/ )

Daisenji Temple

• Offering: 300 yen for adults and 200 yen for children, which includes admission to the Reihokaku treasure hall.
• Reception: 9:00-16:00 from 1 April to 30 November. The Reihokaku is closed from 1 December to 31 March. Group discounts were discontinued on 1 August 2026.
• Ogamiyama Shrine Okunomiya nearby: The approach is about 700 m of natural stone paving followed by a long flight of steps. The shrine's own FAQ warns that "the 700 m stone-paved approach and the great stairway waiting at the end make for a harder walk than you might imagine" and that it "may be difficult for those unsure of their footing." Worship inside the hall is available at any time for an offering of 500 yen. The goshuin differ between the main shrine and the Okunomiya, and you cannot receive both at one location.
• Parking: The Daisen National Park car parks (No.1, No.2, No.4 and No.5) and the Nankogawara car park charge 1,000 yen a day for cars (700 yen if entering after 14:00, 500 yen after 17:00). The indoor Daisen car park has a 2 m height limit and costs 1,000 yen on weekdays and 1,500 yen at weekends and holidays.

(Source: Daisenji, https://daisenji.jp/ ; Ogamiyama Shrine, https://www.oogamiyama.or.jp/ ; Daisen Tourism Bureau, https://tourismdaisen.com/feature/12/ )

Mitokusan Sanbutsuji Nageiredo

• Fees (important): 1,200 yen for adults, made up of a 400 yen entry offering plus an 800 yen climbing fee for the Nageiredo, and 600 yen for elementary and junior high school children. The rates were revised on 1 June 2020, and the entry offering includes admission to the treasure hall. The two amounts are paid separately, at the Mitokusan reception office and at the Nageiredo climbing reception.
• Hours: Reception for the Nageiredo climb is 8:00-15:00, with descent by 16:30. The gate is shut outside those hours. Allow roughly one and a half to two hours for the round trip.
• Conditions of entry (important): You may not enter alone; a party of two or more is required. Infants are not permitted. A wagesa stole is lent at reception and must be worn. Because falls are frequent, clothing and footwear are inspected at entry, and trainers may not be accepted (hiring straw sandals for a fee sometimes resolves this). Skirts, high heels, leather shoes, sandals, slippers, boots with spikes or metal fittings, and ice axes, poles or walking sticks are not permitted.
• Winter and bad weather (important): Entry is refused whenever rain or snow makes the climb dangerous, and the temple states that "in a typical year, entry is prohibited through the winter from around December to March because of snow." Always check the temple's website for the day's status before travelling.
• Other: The precincts and their surroundings are a no-drone zone. Collecting plants or animals, smoking and open flames, eating within the mountain grounds and bringing pets are all prohibited.

(Source: Mitokusan Sanbutsuji, https://www.mitokusan.jp/ and Japan Heritage Mitokusan Misasa Onsen, https://misasaonsen.jp/japan-heritage/worship/ )

Ube Shrine

• Amulet office: Open 9:00-17:00, including for goshuin (prayers until 16:00).
• Prayers: Individuals need no booking and can apply at the desk. Prayers at Ube Shrine are conducted seated. Visitors are asked not to film or photograph during a prayer service.
• Access: From JR Tottori Station take a local bus and alight at Miyanoshita, or take a taxi. There is a car park, including a dedicated coach park.
• Grand festival: The eve festival is on 20 April and the main festival on 21 April, with the kirin lion dance and urayasu dance performed every year.

(Source: Ube Shrine, https://www.ubejinja.or.jp/new-sampai/ and https://www.ubejinja.or.jp/new-faq/ )

Shitori Shrine

• Location: 754 Miyauchi, Yurihama Town. Tel 0858-32-1985.
• Rank: The ichinomiya, or first shrine, of the old Hoki Province, formerly a kokuhei shosha and now a betsuhyo shrine, known locally as "Ichinomiya-san".

(Source: Tottori Prefecture Shrine Agency, https://tottori-jinjacho.jp/pages/315/ and Tottori Prefecture Tourism Federation, https://www.tottori-guide.jp/tourism/tour/view/338 )