Tottori travel guide

is the capital city of Tottori Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.
As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 200,974 and a density of 262.48 persons per km². The total area is 765.66 km².
Within Japan the city is best known for its sand dunes which are a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors from outside of the prefecture. The sand dunes are also important as a centre for research into arid agriculture, in collaboration with the nearby Tottori University of Environmental Studies.
The city's main street (Wakasa, or "young cherry blossom" street) runs north from the station and terminates at the foot of the Kyushouzan ("eternal pine") mountain. Around this mountain lies the oldest part of the city. Its centre is the now ruined Tottori Castle, once the property of the Ikeda daimyo family. It is open to the public, and is the site of the Castle Festival in Autumn each year. In the vicinity are temples, museums, and public parks. The city also host the precturally famous Shan-shan festival in the autumn, which features teams of people dressing up and dancing with large umbrellas; the name 'Shan-shan' is said to come from the sound made by the small bells and pieces of metal attached to the umbrellas, which are very large. An exceptionally big example of a Shan-shan umbrella graces the main foyer of Tottori Station. (...) more…