5 Photogenic Spectacular-View Spots in Tottori

When you say Tottori Prefecture, it is not just the sand dunes! In fact, it is a treasure trove of spectacular views known only to those in the know. Blue skies, vast nature, fantastical lake surfaces... We carefully select and introduce photogenic spots that will make you want to head out camera in hand.

1. Tottori Sand Dunes | Japan's Only "Sand Spectacle" Glows Golden

This is one of Japan's largest sand dunes, a miraculous place whose expression changes completely depending on the angle of the light. The way the lines of the sand ripples (samon) created by the wind spread across the entire frame produces a sense of the extraordinary, as if you were overseas.

• Best time: the golden hour of early morning and evening. The sand is dyed orange and shadows stretch long, increasing the three-dimensional feel.
• Shooting angle: a wide-angle low angle with the sand ripples in the foreground is great. Placing a person small in the distance conveys the sense of scale.
• Access: About 22 minutes from stop 0 at JR Tottori Station on the No. 39 Tottori Sakyu line, alighting at the terminus "Sakyu Kaikan (Tottori Sand Dunes)," right by the dunes. The fare is 380 yen one way

2. Lake Togo | The Upside-Down Scenery Reflected on the Water Is Too Fantastical

A quiet lake spreading across Yurihama Town. On calm mornings with no wind, the lake surface becomes like a mirror, and you can take reflection photos in which the sky and the mountain range are beautifully mirrored. The result is a mystical shot in which heaven and earth seem to melt together.

• Best time: early mornings with little wind, on days from autumn to winter when the air is clear
• Shooting angle: aim for a symmetrical composition with the sky from a low angle right at the water's surface
• Access: About 20 minutes by local bus from JR Kurayoshi Station (Tottori Prefecture Tourism Federation)

3. Mt. Daisen | The Majestic Form of the Chugoku Region's Highest Peak

A beautiful conical mountain also called "Hoki Fuji." The view from Kagikake Pass in particular is spectacular, and in autumn the contrast between the beech forest burning bright red and the snow-capped summit produces the finest photogenic shots.

• Best time: the autumn foliage season from late October to early November, early mornings when morning mist appears
• Shooting angle: "dappled-sunlight framing," using the trees as a frame without including the observation deck's railing, is recommended
• Access: about a 1-hour bus ride from Yonago Station, get off at "Daisenji Temple"

4. Uradome Coast | A Spectacular View Woven from an Emerald-Blue Sea and Strange Rocks

Boasting the finest transparency in the San'in region, this coast is so beautiful, with its gradation of blue, green, and white, that it takes your breath away. Photos of the sea seen through a cave, taken while riding a sightseeing boat or a sea kayak, have such impact that your followers will do a double take!

• Best time: from morning to around midday on clear days. Light pours onto the sea surface and the colors are at their most vivid.
• Shooting angle: a tunnel composition that uses a cave or rock arch as a frame to capture the blue sea beyond is popular
• Access: About 40 minutes from stop 3 at JR Tottori Station on the No. 32/33 Iwami-Iwai line bus, alighting at "Shimameguri Yuransen Noriba-mae" right in front of the boat pier. From JR Iwami Station it is about 7 minutes by car

5. Hakuto Coast | The Stage of a Myth Is Also a Top-Class Sunset Spot

This coast, where the legend of the White Hare of Inaba remains, is a spectacular spot where the sun setting into the Sea of Japan is dyed a fiery orange. A shot combining the torii gate with the setting sun is full of Japanese sentiment and will be a photo that stands out on SNS.

• Best time: the 30 minutes before and after sunset. In winter especially, the air is clear and the colors come out deep.
• Shooting angle: overlap the torii gate of Hakuto Shrine and the setting sun in a vertical composition. Silhouette shots are also photogenic.
• Access: about a 30-minute bus ride from Tottori Station, get off at "Hakuto," a short walk away

The great nature of Tottori shows a different expression each time depending on the season and time of day. Scenery that makes you think "I want to come again" will surely become your best shot. 📸 Please take your camera and tour the spectacular views of Tottori!

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.

Tottori Sand Dunes

• Visitor Center: Open 9:00-17:00, tel 0857-22-0021. Call in before walking out onto the dunes to pick up a map.
• Summer caution: The centre repeatedly warns visitors to guard against heatstroke at the dunes in summer. There is no shade and the sand surface heats up, so a hat and drinking water are essential.
• Photography: The Visitor Center's website has a dedicated page on photography at the dunes. If you are planning drone or group photography, check the conditions there in advance.

(Source: Tottori Sand Dunes Visitor Center, https://www.sakyu-vc.com/jp/ and Tottori City Tourism and Convention Association, https://www.torican.jp/feature/hajimete )

Lake Togo

• Togo-ko Hawai Rinkai Park: 650 Fujitsu, Yurihama Town. A large urban park set in the landscape of the Sea of Japan and Lake Togo, with two hot spring resorts, Hawai Onsen and Togo Onsen. Seasonal flowers, including irises around Ayame Pond, are a highlight.
• Access: About 20 minutes by local bus from JR Kurayoshi Station, or about 10 minutes by car from Tomari-Togo IC on the San'in Expressway.

(Source: Tottori Prefectural Tourism Business Foundation, https://www.togo-rinkai.com/ and Tottori Prefecture Tourism Federation, https://www.tottori-guide.jp/tourism/tour/view/141 )

Mount Daisen

• Access: About 10 km from Mizoguchi IC on the Yonago Expressway via Prefectural Routes 45 and 158 to Daisen and Bakuroza; about 12 km from Yonago-Higashi IC on the San'in Expressway via Prefectural Route 24. The nearest airport is Yonago Kitaro Airport and the nearest station is JR Yonago Station, from which a local bus takes about 50 minutes to the Daisenji stop.
• 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), 2,400 yen for coaches and 100 yen for motorcycles. 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; its shutter closes at night so you cannot enter. The Makihara car park is free, though the shuttle bus is charged separately.

(Source: Daisen Tourism Bureau, https://tourismdaisen.com/about_daisen/access/ and https://tourismdaisen.com/feature/12/ ; Tottori Prefecture Western Region Office, https://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/127936.htm )

Uradome Coast

• Sightseeing boat: The Uradome Coast island-cruise boat runs from 1 March to 30 November, hourly from 9:30 to 15:30, taking about 40 minutes, at 1,800 yen for adults and 900 yen for children (no sailings from December to February). The small boat "Uradome-go" and the splash adventure boat "AQUA" run from late April to mid-October, and AQUA is limited to ages from junior high school to 60. There is parking for about 100 cars on site. Sailings may be cancelled depending on the weather, so check before you go (tel 0857-73-1212).

(Source: Iwami Town Tourism Association, https://www.iwamikanko.org/sightseeing/3606/ ; Tottori City Tourism and Convention Association, https://www.torican.jp/feature/busstop )

Hakuto Coast

• Nearby: The roadside station "Shinwa no Sato Shirousagi" and Hakuto Shrine adjoin the coast. Parking is the 125 free spaces shared with the roadside station (111 for cars and 14 for large vehicles).

(Source: Hakuto Shrine, https://hakutojinja.jp/sanpai/ and Tottori City tourism site, https://www.torican.jp/spot/detail_1003.html )

• Contact: Tottori Prefecture Hino Regional Promotion Center, Hino Prefectural Land Improvement Bureau (road closure information) 0859-72-2042 / Visitor Center 0857-22-0021 / Uradome Coast Island Cruise 0857-73-1212