Our Tottori road trip had a very ambitious wish list: fresh seafood, views of Mount Daisen, places connected to Detective Conan, the Sand Museum—and finally, the famous Tottori Sand Dunes.
We made it to almost everything. Then it rained.
The sand dunes were the final stop we’d been looking forward to, but the weather had other ideas. We skipped them. Even so, the trip was great fun.
Here are the places we actually visited, grouped by western, central and eastern Tottori so you can plan a realistic driving route rather than simply copying our chaotic wish list.
First, understand Tottori’s geography
Tottori Prefecture stretches a surprisingly long way from east to west. Trying to see its western coast, the central Conan attractions and the dunes at the eastern end in a single day is asking a lot.
If you have a short visit, I’d recommend choosing one area. With an overnight stay, you can move between regions more comfortably—and have a backup plan when the weather changes.
Western Tottori: seafood in Sakaiminato and mountain views
Sakaiminato: I can never resist a seafood market
When we travel around western Tottori, I almost always want to stop in Sakaiminato. The reason is simple: I love fish.
Fresh seafood, crab and dried fish are the kind of things that make me slow down. I’ll spot something at a good price, then immediately discover something else that looks tempting.
A seafood market can be a dangerous place for someone like me. Not dangerous to my health. Dangerous to my shopping budget.
Opening days can differ between shops, so if you’re making a special trip for the market, check the day’s schedule first.
Mount Daisen: views worth the detour
I keep wanting to return to Mount Daisen. One place I particularly like is the area around Daisen Makiba Milk no Sato, where the open landscape makes a lovely stop on a good-weather drive.
I can arrive thinking I’ll only look at the view for a moment—and end up staying much longer. Check seasonal opening details for Milk no Sato if you want to stop for facilities rather than just scenery.
An overnight option: Kaike Onsen
If you’re exploring Sakaiminato, Daisen and Yonago, Kaike Onsen is another possible base for a hot-spring night. It’s a suggestion for planning, not where I’m claiming we stayed on this particular trip.
Central Tottori: Detective Conan and a sudden trip to China
Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory in Hokuei
In Hokuei Town, the home town of the creator of Detective Conan, you can visit the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory. The surrounding Conan-themed streets and objects are fun for fans too.
I originally thought I’d pop in for something like a 30-minute break. Then I saw a yellow Volkswagen Beetle, and suddenly the quick stop was getting much more interesting.
It’s a place where “just a little detour” can easily turn into a longer visit.
Important for 2027 travel: According to the museum’s official announcement, the existing location is scheduled to close on January 11, 2027, ahead of a new facility planned for spring 2027. The new site will be beside Conan’s House Beika Shopping Street. Confirm the reopening date and ticket arrangements before you travel. Official relocation announcement.
Encho-en Chinese Garden: suddenly, a different world
On Day 2, we were driving by Lake Togo when an unusual building seemed to rise out of the waterside scenery. We looked into it, and that led us to Encho-en Chinese Garden.
One moment we were on a road trip through Tottori. The next, we’d walked through a gate into a Chinese-style garden.
Suddenly, China.
These are the detours I enjoy most: the places you notice by accident, investigate, and end up being glad you stopped for.
For current access and admission, see the official Encho-en website.
Eastern Tottori: sand sculptures, then rain
The Sand Museum: much more detailed than I expected
On Day 1 in the afternoon, we visited the Sand Museum, near the Tottori Sand Dunes.
Before entering, I pictured something like an unusually large sandcastle. I was wrong.
The sculptures were astonishingly detailed. The closer I looked, the more work I noticed in the faces, clothing and patterns.
It’s hard to believe that the works are made from sand and water. I was delighted with the visit.
Current exhibition note (November 2026): The museum is displaying Traveling Around the World in Sand: Spain from April 24, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Adult entry is currently ¥800 and regular hours are 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (last admission 5:30 p.m.). Exhibitions change, so the sculptures in our older photos aren’t necessarily the ones you’ll see now. Official English hours, admission and exhibition information.
Tottori Sand Dunes: the stop we didn’t make
Since we were right by the Sand Museum, naturally we planned to visit the Tottori Sand Dunes next.
And then it rained. Not the weather we wanted for walking on the dunes.
I wanted to go. The rain had other ideas. So we reluctantly skipped the dunes and headed to our accommodation in Hamamura Onsen instead.
The dunes aren’t something I can review from this trip because we didn’t actually visit them. That’s also part of a real travel story: plans change.
A hot-spring stay gave us room to improvise
We stayed in Hamamura Onsen. When the weather forced us to change plans, knowing we could settle into a hot-spring stay helped take some of the sting out of missing the dunes.
Daytime for exploring, evening for a bath, then another area to visit the next morning. For a long east–west Tottori drive, having one overnight stop made a big difference.
Should you rent a car for Tottori?
Many individual Tottori attractions can be reached by public transport, so a rental car isn’t the only possible way to travel. But for the multi-area itinerary we drove, a car made spontaneous stops and changing plans much easier.
If you’re planning a self-drive trip in western Japan, you can compare rental car options for Japan on DiscoverCars.
Affiliate disclosure: This is an affiliate link. I may earn a commission on eligible bookings. Check your licence eligibility and driving requirements for Japan before reserving.
What I’d do differently on a return trip
- Pick a region first. Western Tottori alone has enough to fill a satisfying day.
- Keep one flexible stop. Rain changed our plans at the dunes; having an alternative helps.
- Check changing attractions. The Sand Museum changes exhibitions, and Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory is preparing to relocate.
- Give yourself an overnight stay. We found it far more comfortable than racing the whole prefecture in one day.
I still want to see the dunes properly. But even without them, we had seafood, mountain views, Conan, an unexpected Chinese garden and extraordinary sand sculptures.
A good road trip isn’t always the one where everything goes according to plan.
This article reflects our firsthand drive and photos. Read the original Japanese article, or see more in English Travel.
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