Tottori (prefecture)

Tottori prefecture (鳥取県 Tottori-ken) is in the western Chugoku region of the main Japanese island Honshu.

Culture and History

Tottori prefecture, together with Shimane prefecture is known as the Sanin region, meaning "the shady side of the mountains". There is a mountain range separating these two prefectures from Hiroshima and Okayama, which means that the weather here is drastically wetter than further to the south.

Cities

• Tottori — The prefectural capital known for the Tottori Sand Dunes.
• Kurayoshi — A small town with a quaint retro shops and a well-preserved historic district.
• Sakai Minato — Westernmost city in Tottori and home of Mizuki Shigeru, creator of Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro
• Daisen — The city of Daisen is home to Mount Daisen, a famous location for climbing, hiking, and skiing. The famous Daisen-ji Temple is also located on this mountain.
• Misasa — Most famous for the Mitokusan Nageiredo, an old temple built on the side of a cliff. Nobody knows exactly how this temple was built, but it is a marvel to behold.
• Yurihama — A lovely city containing one of Japan's best Chinese gardens and Lake Togo.

Other destinations

Talk

Travel to Tottori (prefecture) - Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Tottori (prefecture)

There are three daily flights from Tokyo's Haneda airport to Tottori airport with ANA. The flight takes about 75 minutes. Tel. 0120-029-222, 0857-23-3038.

By train

JR runs between Okayama and Tottori City, and between Tottori and Yonago.

Buses to Tottori (prefecture)

• There is an express bus which runs from Tokyo's Hamamatsu-cho　to Tottori. The cost is about ￥10,200 one-way. Tel: 03-3743-0022
• The bus from Osaka to Tottori runs about 2 hours and 45 minutes, and costs about ￥7500.

Tours and Getting around Tottori (prefecture)

Tottori (prefecture) tourist attractions and sightseeing

Daisen City

• Mt. Daisan
• Daisen-ji Temple

Kurayoshi City

• Old Storage Houses and Sake Breweries Preserved from the Edo Period.
• Mt. Utsubuki and Utsubuki Park

Misasa City

• Mitokusan Nageiredo (Sanbutsuji Temple)
• Misasa Hot Spring

Tottori City

• Tottori Sand Dunes
• Kawahara Castle
• Kannon-in Garden
• Tottori Toy Museum
• Ikeda Clan Grave
• Hakuto Beach This beach is written about in the Kojiki, Japan's oldest book of history.
• Yoshioka Hot Spring Discovered 1,000 years ago.
• Tottori Hot Springs

Yurihama

• Enchoen Chinese Garden One of the largest Chinese gardens in Japan. It was first assembled in China, disassembled, and then rebuilt here.
• Ueshi Castle The original was destroyed by the Tokugawa army. It was rebuilt in 1990.
• Museum of History and Folklore
• Shitori Shrine The main hall of the shrine was rebuilt in 1818, but many of the artifacts from the shrine are National Treasures.
• Hashizu Fort Ruins
• Kitayama Tomb
• Fudo-taki Falls and Ima-taki Falls
• Togo Lake
• Hawai Onsen
• Ishiwaki Beach Deemed the 88th most beautiful beach in Japan.

Tottori (prefecture) city tours

Tottori (prefecture) Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Local specialties include crab, squid, pears, melons, shallots, and sake.

Tottori (prefecture) nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Get out

Hyogo Prefecture borders Tottori to the east. Closest to Tottori are Toyooka City with the famous Kinosaki Hot Springs, the remains of Izushi Castle, and the interesting Japan-Mongolia Folk Museum. In Asago you can visit the Takeda Castle Ruins. Although they are ruins, they are well-preserved and the view is great. Further down in Hyogo Prefecture you'll find Himeji, famous for the spectacular Himeji Castle, the port city of Kobe.

Kyoto (prefecture) lies to the east on the other side of Hyogo. Although Kyoto City is rather far, Amanohashidate is quite close and easy to access from Tottori Prefecture. This city is famous as the site of one of Japan's Top 3. It is the view from Amanohashidate that is considered to be one of the top 3 views in Japan.

Okayama Prefecture holds Tottori up from the south. Tsuyama with the famous Kakuzan Park, Shurakuen Garden, and Joto Street is near the eastern region, while Niimi, famous for the Ikura Ravine and Maki Cave is near Western Tottori. Further south, you'll find the Kurashiki with its well-preserved historic district, Okayama which has one of Japan's Top 3, Korakuen Garden, and Takahashi, home to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, Japan's highest castle, as well as one of it's only remaining original castles.

Shimane Prefecture stands beside Tottori on the Western border. The most famous sites are close to Tottori, so accessing them is quite convenient. Matsue is famous for Matsue Castle, one of Japan's few remaining original castles, and the Lafcadio Hearn Residence. The city of Izumo is home to the spectacular Izumo Shrine, the second most holy Shinto shrine in Japan. The Hinomisaki Lighthouse is also a famous icon of the city. Further out in the prefecture you'll find Tsuwano, where the last Christian martyrs were killed before ending the ban on Christianity and Iwami Ginzan, a World Heritage Site.

Destinations in Tottori (prefecture):

• Tottori
• Yonago

This page was last edited by Wikitravel user ChubbyWimbus. Based on work by Ted O'Neill and Jani Patokallio, Wikitravel user(s) Episteme and Texugo and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license