If you’re planning a trip to Japan and want a unique mix of pop culture, local charm, and outdoor exploration, Tottori Prefecture has something special in store. This year, the Pokémon GO Sand Tour Route 2025 campaign invites fans and travelers alike to explore Tottori’s scenic landscapes while catching Pokémon along the way. Tottori, best known for its vast sand dunes and peaceful countryside, has embraced the Pokémon Sandshrew (known in Japan as Sand) and its Alolan counterpart as official tourism ambassadors. From April 18th, 2025, through January 31st, 2026, travelers can follow newly updated walking routes using the Pokémon GO app, meet Sandshrew in-game, and even enter to win exclusive merchandise. Five new routes have been added this year, bringing the total to 15 across eastern, central, and western Tottori. The campaign now includes highlights like the brand-new Tottori Prefectural Museum of Art and breathtaking views of Mt. Daisen from the Flower Corridor. Voice actress Sonoka Tanaka, who stars in the Pokémon web anime Yamikarasu and the Midnight Adventure, has been appointed Fun Ambassador for the campaign. 1.Download Pokémon GO if you don’t already have it. Sandshrew Hoodies in various sizes (only 3 winners per size) Whether you’re into nature, art, or relaxing hot springs, there’s a route for everyone: Eastern Tottori: A scenic path around Lake Koyama, and a walk through Iwai Onsen, steeped in myth and tradition. Central Tottori: Explore modern creativity on the Museum of Art Route. Western Tottori: Enjoy sweeping views of Mt. Daisen from the Flower Corridor. Each route offers a chance to see the quieter, more authentic side of Japan, where you can slow down and enjoy both nature and nostalgia. Sign up for our weekly newsletter of articles from Japan, Korea, Guam, and Okinawa with travel tips, restaurant reviews, recipes, community and event news, and more. the ‘Golden Route’ has long been a favorite for Japan’s visitors – but now it’s easier than ever to go further and enjoy sights considerably less seen.  The Shibuya Crossing is one of Tokyo’s most iconic and busiest spots—the perfect place to soak up the energy of modern Japan.Photograph courtesy of TCVBByRob GossDecember 16 Covering 500 miles (800 kilometers) from Tokyo to Hiroshima what’s become known as the Golden Route of Japanese tourism connects many of Japan’s most popular destinations with its traditional inns and Mount Fuji views the ancient capital of Kyoto and its collection of World Heritage Sites there’s plenty of Japan to discover beyond the Golden Route and it’s easier than ever to access thanks to Japan’s widespread rail and air network From top to bottom: Tottori - The Sand Museum Tottori Sand Dunes Tokushima - whirlpools of the Naruto Strait Connected via local train lines.Illustrated by Tatsuro Kiuchi At the westernmost end of the Golden Route Hiroshima Prefecture is best known for attractions in and around Hiroshima City such as the moving Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the “floating” torii (symbolic gates) at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island also offers opportunities to experience Japan’s great outdoors you could take a bus about 55 kilometers northwest of Hiroshima City for the Sandankyo Gorge a lush stretch of river dotted with waterfalls and transparent emerald pools—ideal for riverside hikes 80 minutes east of Hiroshima City by local train which as well as being a destination in its own right is also the northern end of the Shimanami Kaido a 70-kilometer cycling route that runs over the islet-studded Seto Inland Sea into Shikoku The Shimanami Kaido cycling route connects Hiroshima and Ehime prefectures crisscrossing the Seto Inland Sea via a collection of scenic bridges.Photograph courtesy of Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Company LimitedSandankyo Gorge is a lush stretch of river dotted with waterfalls and transparent emerald pools.Photograph courtesy of Hiroshima Tourism Association using a mix of JR West’s Sanyo Shinkansen train it’s possible to go even farther off the beaten path with a visit to Nagato in Yamaguchi Prefecture a rugged coastline dotted with distinctive rock formations known for its winding tunnel of red torii gateways—similar to Kyoto’s famous Fushimi Inari Shrine—set on a bluff overlooking the ocean The torii gateways of Motonosumi Shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture.Photograph courtesy of Motonosumi ShrineDeeper into Chugoku the Chugoku region continues in the prefectures of Shimane and Tottori which like Yamaguchi offer travelers the opportunity to wander roads less traveled one highlight is the UNESCO-designated Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine where close to one-third of the world’s silver is said to have been mined during the 16th century but travelers today can explore the old mine shafts and visit the well-preserved townscape of Omori which flourished with the development of the mines the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine in Shimane Prefecture is said to have produced a third of the world’s silver.Photograph courtesy of Shimane Prefecture Tottori Prefecture then offers a very different experience with natural sand dunes stretching along 10 miles (16 kilometers) of shoreline creating a Sahara-esque landscape where you can paraglide and sandboard is the only indoor facility in the world dedicated to sand sculptures with exhibits replaced annually by teams of artists invited to Tottori from around the globe The Sand Museum Tottori Sand Dunes in Tottori Prefecture displays sand sculptures that change annually Recent artworks include scenes from Napoleonic France.Photograph courtesy of The Sand Museum Then there’s Okayama Prefecture in southern Chugoku a stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen train between Hiroshima and Osaka there are many reasons to linger in Okayama City—not least the magnificent Korakuen Garden—although you could also venture offshore to Inujima a tiny island in the Seto Inland Sea known for its contemporary art venues As part of the broader Inujima Art House Project and Setouchi Triennale this scenic isle once known for its granite has seen several traditional houses turned into galleries and art installations The island of Inujima in Okayama Prefecture is dotted with pretty beaches.Photograph courtesy of Okayama Prefectural Tourism Federation Once you’ve enjoyed Okayama, it’s only a short train ride across the Seto Inland Sea into Shikoku the fourth largest of Japan’s main islands After getting off the train at Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture one option is to hop on a ferry for Naoshima and Teshima two more of the Seto Inland Sea’s arty islands Or you could stay in Takamatsu for Ritsurin Garden a sprawling masterpiece of traditional Japanese landscaping Ritsurin in Kagawa Prefecture is one of Japan’s finest traditional gardens.Photograph courtesy of “Special Place of Scenic Beauty” Ritsurin Garden you’ll find cherry blossoms in spring and fiery foliage in autumn while year-round there are teahouses to visit and a succession of scenic viewpoints to enjoy—the most distinctive being from atop the Fuji-shaped Hiraiho Hill looking out over Ritsurin’s central pond with Mount Shiun serving as borrowed scenery in the distance Following the coast southeast from Takamatsu, it’s an hour by train to Tokushima Prefecture home to the annual Awa Odori dance festival and the deep natural surrounds of the Iya Valley but also the captivating whirlpools of the Naruto Strait these whirlpools are created when the central current merges with slower currents on the sides of the strait something you can see up close on boat tours or through the glass-bottomed observation deck of the Onaruto Bridge The powerful whirlpools of the Naruto Strait in Tokushima Prefecture can be seen up close on boat tours or from above on the Onaruto Bridge.Photograph courtesy of Naruto City Uzushio Tourist Association Wherever you go in Shikoku, you are never far from a good meal. That’s especially true at Hirome Market in Kochi Prefecture, in Shikoku’s far south, which is best reached by car or a combination of trains from Tokushima Nicknamed “Kochi’s Kitchen,” the 60 or so small eateries here serve up a wide variety of dishes from local classics like katsuo-no-tataki (bonito seared over piles of burning straw) to izakaya (bar-style) staples such as gyoza (dumplings) and deep-fried chicken you can eat at large communal tables where there’s a good chance of striking up a conversation with Kochi’s local people Bustling Hirome Market in Kochi Prefecture is a must-visit for foodies with dozens of small restaurants serving up local specialties.Photograph courtesy of Kochi Visitors & Convention Association in the northwest of Shikoku is Ehime Prefecture located at the southern end of the Shimanami Kaido cycling route Ehime’s Matsuyama offers great dining and historical sites like the early 17th-century Matsuyama Castle one of the oldest hot-spring baths in the country built in 1894 with the look of a wooden castle you could take a soothing soak in a public bath before unwinding with green tea and sweets in a tatami mat relaxation room It’s the perfect way to end an adventure in Chugoku and Shikoku Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright © 2015-2025 National Geographic Partners Howzit Hawaiian Kitchen is owned by Alden Tottori It’s fascinating to travel to one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and see how completely different life can be from the others as the air feels cleaner and it’s less congested to walk around It’s very scenic and filled with lots of greenery my 2-day visit to Tottori was part of a press tour to showcase the Super Hakuto Conan train which began new expanded routes in December word-of-mouth in the office was to visit Tottori’s famous sand dunes and check out the hot springs transportation hiccups and inclement weather can hinder the best of travel plans I had no idea I would be walking into an anime land where Detective Conan the lead character of the popular manga by the same name I met up with the rest of the media attending the press tour at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport The entire group was ready for the quick 80-minute flight and to begin our exploration of Tottori we soon discovered there was a problem with the plane and our flight would be delayed The 90-minute wait for takeoff would put our carefully planned schedule in disarray as did the rain that dampened Tottori and our spirits somewhat during our two-day visit Let’s just say that our extremely bumpy and turbulent landing at the airport in Tottori was a precursor of our time there I did some research on the prefecture to discover that it is not only famous for its sand dunes and hot springs but also for its delicious Tottori Beef (I had only heard of Kobe Beef) and juicy watermelon I also discovered Tottori is the birthplace of manga artist Gosho Aoyama who created the Chotto Mattete and Detective Conan series And the prefecture is doing all it can to attract manga enthusiasts the first thing I noticed were the advertisements and promotions for the Japanese anime Cased Closed (Detective Conan) life-size 3D scenes and paintings of the wall buildings and billboards carry the Conan character it was interesting to see that the surroundings outside are completely different Far away you could see the greenery covering the mountains The tour bus ride was about 15 minutes away from the city and the transition from the airport to farms to homes in the quiet city life of Tottori was remarkable and people were out and about that Saturday afternoon It looked like they were enjoying life under their umbrellas THE SUPER HAKUTO DETECTIVE CONAN LIMITED EXPRESS The main reason of this press tour was to visit and witness the new design of the Super Hakuto Conan train that began its new route in early December 2023 One key point to this new train route is the connection point from Kyoto Prefecture to Tottori while stopping at a few places in Osaka and Hyogo Compared to how the airport decked out with Conan characters the appearance of the train from the outside seemed basic as stickers were merely placed all over the frame seats and doors were adorned with Conan characters Schedule: 7 trips a day (Check Japan Transit app or Google Maps for times) Brandon Fraser racing on a camel across sweeping sand dunes in the 1998 hit classic “The Mummy.” Tottori’s sand dunes are mountains of brown powder covered in footprints with a view of the area’s coastline just over the hill there were few tourists trudging through the fine sand  Just like visiting other places around Japan it is always best to be respectful of one’s home country and culture this means no littering or smoking in unauthorized areas as well as not writing or drawing in the sand A big cartoon-like “NO!” on a sign at the entrance of dunes warned visitors not to scribble in the sand The only thing permitted is footprints and tracks from sandboarding and camels there are still plenty of activities to enjoy in the dunes There are also some less extreme sports like segway rides But because it was raining during our visit there were no camels to be seen and the other activities are better saved for a sunny day The prices advertised do seem a bit high for extreme sports but the photos on display at the dunes’ visitor center and in pamphlets make it look like it’s worth it there are souvenir shops and an interestingly designed wooden café building where you can get some refreshments Kurayoshi City in Tottori was perfect for good night’s sleep It was a little eerie seeing a karaoke establishment closed on a Saturday night The only food attraction I found was a 7-11 but in Japan you can’t go wrong with convenience store food which is about an hour drive from the dunes Visiting Shirakabe Dozo-gun Shopping Center was like walking into a video game bazaar The architectural design and small koi fish stream outside gave the shopping center a very historical feel While it is possible to walk the streets and window shop in 20 minutes it is also a great place to take your time stroll and pop into some of the local shops There were two places I noticed that sold alcohol an expensive liquor store and Brew Lab Kurayoshi brewery but was closed during our visit because it was 11 a.m The store had a lot of handmade items like chopsticks and plates ranging from 3,000 – 5,000 yen for one set One thing that caught my attention was the raw honey they were selling for 2,484 yen there are some nice souvenirs to pick up for your friends and family back home (Sometimes Sunday depending on the weekend.) Hokuei Town on the coast of the Sea of Japan is the birthplace of manga artist and “Detective Conan” creator Hokuei has many references to Detective Conan the main train stop is called Conan Station the Detective Conan x Limited Express Super Hakuto train does not stop here you hop on the JR San-in main line from Kurayoshi Station to reach Conan Station You’ll find a Conan statue giving a point and wink as well as a Conan-themed rest station and souvenir shop outside the station Grab some limited Detective Conan merchandise only available here Down the street you’ll find other manga statues and the House of Conan Beika Shopping Street leading to the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory ice cream and over 70 original Conan products exclusive to the stores here I could not tell the difference between some because of the amount of Conan Detective items I saw throughout my trip the signs separating males and female also use silhouettes of the characters in blue and pink backdrops The last stop on my trip was to the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory This small but incredibly interesting museum is a must for manga enthusiasts and offers free parking It is about 1.4 kilometers away from Conan Station and the yellow Volkswagen Beetle permanently parked out front serves as a good landmark to know you’ve made it you’ll find plenty more Detective Conan statues as well as sketches and photographs There is a mock display of Aoyama’s art desk There are also some small displays that show how some illusions work There is even a Conan skateboard video game that is fun but hard to keep your balance  To explore the museum and play the video game with no line took about 30 minutes Videos and photos of the original art are not allowed The museum gift shop also has Conan merchandise get a commemorative pic inside the photo booth The dedication and pride this small coastal town has to the manga and its creator is entertaining and interesting I enjoyed getting to know more about Detective Conan in its birthplace One of the restaurants we enjoyed for lunch was Townhouse Seisuian known for its mochi-based dishes  We were instructed to take off our shoes and walk up the narrow stairs to the second floor which felt like a low incline ladder into the attic of this old building All the wood in the building was stained brown and it was aesthetically pleasing to sit and admire the architecture This was the first time I ate at a low table where I had to sit on the floor so I had to adjust my position a few times to avoid having my legs fall asleep  I ordered the basic mochi shabu with rice cakes and vegetables for 1,200 yen you can dip 12 assorted flavors of mochi into the bonito broth for a smooth tasting texture The plate was mostly vegetarian-style with rich flavors that went perfectly with steaming green tea  One thing I wish I had done right was learn how to dip the thin mochi into the hot broth I sadly did not get to taste all the flavors of mochi individually since some disintegrated after holding the piece for more than 5 seconds in the hot broth while using chopsticks the melted mochi added so much extra flavor to the other mochi pieces that didn’t disintegrate  About half of the group had the Tottori Wagyu Shabu and had little to no issue losing their meat slices Other items on the menu include shrimp tempura for 1200 yen and a Tottori wagyu beef set for 1,900 yen I can say that even though I lost a few pieces of delicate mochi The only difficult part of this restaurant was realizing my leg fell asleep while I was eating and trying to stand up to check out The restaurant ambiance and the food were straight out of a travel magazine This is definitely a spot I would bring my friends and family to As I boarded the plane to fly back to Tokyo By the second day it became a little eerie to me but I’m sure manga enthusiasts will love it I look forward to returning to Tottori on a dry day to ride camels and maybe do some sandboarding and kayaking And there is so much more to Tottori that I didn’t have time to check out so I did some extra research and found some places I would like to go that I have seen similarly in video games such as Sekiro Shadows Die Twice and Ghost of Tsushima (Both Rated M) Hanakairo Flower Park: Located in the western part of Tottori is Japan’s largest flower garden There are subsections to the area such as the Circular Walkway and the Flower Dome but the Flower Valley looked more majestic and inside the deep forest: As the foliage changes throughout the year the mountains here can feel like a true escape from normal life Some guides can help with birdwatching in the spring and snowshoeing in the winter (Like Iceman with the tennis ball rackets for shoes) Mitokusan Sanbutsuji Shrine: In central Tottori the beautiful grounds of Mitokusan Sanbutsuji grace the mountainside at a moderately high altitude The admission price is 800 Yen for adults and 300 yen for children The Tottori Nijisseiki Pear Museum: Learn all about the local pears and enjoy pear tasting which is like wine tasting… but with pears Eternal Evening Illumination by Fireflies: In the summer the western area of Tottori is lit up by fireflies Flight: The flight from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport was 1 hour and 20 minutes but prices vary by airline and travel site Driving: Depending on what city you’re driving from the drive is about nine hours with ETC tolls starting around 9,300 yen this route does take you through Osaka and Hyogo Tottori is a manageable distance from MCAS Iwakuni Train: The Conan Express also travels from Osaka to Tottori and it can cut the cost of traveling down from Kyoto to Tottori at 9,110 yen per person Sign up for our weekly newsletter of articles from Japan Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report TOTTORI--Sand sculptors are putting the finishing touches on their gritty masterpieces for a special exhibition opening on April 25 at the Tottori Sand Museum near the Tottori Sand Dunes here The indoor museum dedicated to sand sculptures made by using only sand and water has been hosting the “Travel Around the World in Sand” exhibition under a different theme almost every year the 16th installment is themed on Japan in a tribute to the Osaka Kansai Expo It will showcase 19 works of sand art by 20 artists from 12 countries around the world ukiyo-e paintings and other aspects of Japanese culture the exhibits will trace the history of Japan the Warring States period (late 15th to late 16th centuries) the Edo Period (1603-1867) and the present day are participating in the exhibition for the first time said it was a dream for her to create a sand sculpture for the museum and to entertain spectators said it was a great honor to be part of the exhibition The sculptors were given 15 days until April 5 to work on their projects The highlight is a large piece measuring about 20 meters wide and 5 meters tall featuring the World Heritage Himeji Castle Mount Fuji and the famed Kiyomizudera temple "The sculptures will express the aesthetics that lie at the heart of Japanese culture the world of mythology and other concepts," said Katsuhiko Chaen Admission is 800 yen ($5.30) for adults and 400 yen for elementary Works of Ainu woodcarver Fujito featured in Tokyo exhibition Keith Haring’s landmark visit to Hiroshima focus of retrospective Lisa’s Wanderings Around Japan/ Tottori Sand Dunes: Shifting grains made Tottori residents upset over high cost of Andy Warhol’s works Snapshots of life on day A-bomb hit Hiroshima get U.S Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Today's print edition Home Delivery Located on the craggy and windblown coast of western Japan, Tottori Prefecture has long lent itself to the moody and artistic. The name of the San’in region, comprising Tottori and Shimane prefectures, literally means “the shadowy side of the mountain,” and the area is known as the “Land of the Gods,” where tales of Shinto kami and yōkai (spirits) originated Though it has long been a source of inspiration for creative minds, Tottori is Japan’s least populous prefecture and nearly the last to establish its own public art museum. That is, until March 30, with the official opening of the Tottori Prefectural Museum of Art.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Shinji Hirai and the family of manga master and Tottori native Mizuki Shigeru were among the participants in a ribbon-cutting ceremony held March 28 on the museum’s grounds in Kurayoshi The following day was filled with festivities that attracted a crowd of 12,000 and included live performances and a street parade with 1,000 revelers The atmosphere inside the museum and outside on its grassy lawn was one of both triumph and the casual pleasure of a Georges Seurat painting In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division is showcasing a booth filled with its unique sand at the Osaka-Kansai Expo the Kingdom of Jordan has recreated a desert at its pavilion offering visitors a glimpse into its rich cultural heritage These two distinctive landscapes have uniquely linked to promote their products marking the beginning of a promising partnership The signing ceremony at the Expo’s Media Center was attended by Tottori Governor HIRAI Shinji and Shifa Zghoul Haddad the Acting Commissioner General and government Representative for the Jordan Pavilion at the Osaka Expo Zghoul expressed her deep gratitude for having built “a wonderful friendship with Tottori Prefecture” through collaborative efforts that embody the theme of Jordan’s participation “Weaving Possibilities,” which aims to connect with Japan and the world Governor Hirai highlighted how the Expo facilitates friendly exchanges between countries and regions The agreement outlines a collaboration between both parties to enhance the appeal of sand and promote deeper exchanges through the Expo and beyond utilizing tourism and manga as key elements They are planning to organize a stamp rally where visitors will receive special benefits for visiting both exhibits Tottori Prefecture will be promoted on May 7 The Tottori Prefecture zone is located within a section of the Kansai Regional Association pavilion 22 tons of red sand were transported from Wadi Rum for the Jordanian pavilion Wadi Rum is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the desert famous for being the filming location of movies such as “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Star Wars.” Viewers were shown in an NHK TV report enjoying hand-playing with sand at the Jordanian Pavilion TOTTORI — A doll store in Tottori Prefecture is being flooded with inquiries about the golden ornamental helmet that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba presented to U.S President Donald Trump during their meeting last week please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent called Amairo Odoshi Manten Kinboshi Kabuto and priced at ¥168,000 including tax the helmet is used as a decoration during the Boys’ Festival are decorated with arabesque patterns which represent the perpetuation of descendants and longevity The gold color is used as a wish for the owner to shine with eternal radiance The Foreign Ministry contacted the store in November and asked if the store had a wearable gold helmet as a souvenir for overseas But it was not told that the item would be presented to Trump the number of calls to the store jumped from about five per day to about 100 Many of them inquired about the size and type of helmet There were also calls from the United States and South Korea The number of hits on the store’s website also increased from about 100 per day to about 20,000 “We want to put one in our office for good luck.” Currently customers have to wait about two years before receiving the helmet “I would be happy if this could be an opportunity [for people] to learn about traditional Japanese culture and help Japan and the United States build a good relationship,” said Ningyo no Hanafusa President Tomoya Hanafusa Ishiba Gives Trump Golden Kabuto as Souvenir; Gift Made in PM’s Home Pref. of Tottori  Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun AD May 1 (Thu) 2025-Jun 29 (Sun) 2025 55 days left Leave a rating/comment#Nihonga / Ukiyoe#Archeology / History / Folklore#Craft / FolkcraftBack to ArticlesSHARE TOTTORI—The face of a Japanese woman who lived around 1,800 years ago and wouldn't look out of place today has been re-created in a stunning visualization whose facial features have been meticulously reconstructed based on DNA analysis of her skull was unveiled at the Aoya Kamijichi Historical Park here on March 20 The DNA analysis also revealed other genetic characteristics including dry earwax and a high tolerance for alcohol “I’m amazed at how realistic it is,” Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai said at the bust’s unveiling ceremony it makes me believe our ancestors looked like this,” said Hirai which dates to the late stages of the Yayoi Pottery Culture Period (1000 B.C.-A.D was unearthed at the Aoya Kamijichi archaeological site in 2000 Tottori Prefecture conducted the facial reconstruction project with the cooperation of the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo who visited the facility to see the reconstruction “I was amazed that people like this lived here This is the third bust reconstructed from skulls recovered at the archaeological site The first reconstruction was of a man dubbed “Kamijiro Aoya" and the second was of a boy dubbed “Raito Aoya.” The prefecture plans to invite the public to suggest a name for the newly unveiled female reconstruction Tottori moon-like dunes offer lunar surface for space-related projects Ancient man’s face reproduced from skull found in Tottori Plans revealed for luxury hotel beside Tottori Sand Dunes Okinawa visitors witness Shuri-jo restoration work in progress Tottori app offers virtual tour of Yonago Castle as it once looked Tottori — Colorful statues of two characters in the global hit manga series “Detective Conan,” also known as “Case Closed,” are now on display in the town of Hokuei the hometown of the manga’s creator Gosho Aoyama The town is also home to the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory a museum which introduces visitors to the world of the manga and its creator through exhibits such as a collection of original drawings of Detective Conan depicting characters Ran Mori and Sonoko Suzuki which connects the museum with JR Yura Station is a detective who appears to be a child but is actually a teenager named Shinichi Kudo Ran and Sonoko are childhood friends of Shinichi they are represented as strolling side by side and the installation is titled “Kawaranu Kankei” (An unchanging relationship) attended the unveiling of the statues in early April including locals and people from both inside and outside the prefecture They look so cute!” said an 11-year-old girl who came to the unveiling in a T-shirt featuring characters from the manga Please upgrade to a more modern version to fully experience JapanToday site and for security reasons Beef bowl chain Sukiya has apologized after announcing that a rat was found in miso soup served at one of its stores in Tottori City the rat (which the company called a "foreign object" in its statement) was found in miso soup served to a customer at the Sukiya Tottori Minamiyoshikata store on Jan 21 It is believed that the rat got into the miso soup while employees were preparing ingredients for other dishes An employee failed to check each dish and served it to a customer The customer noticed the rat immediately and notified staff The company conducted hygiene inspections and instructed employees to thoroughly check the products before serving them Sukiya said it will work to strengthen its management system to prevent recurrence the company came in for criticism on social media over the weekend with many people expressing dissatisfaction that it took Sukiya two months to acknowledge the incident A lot of those places look like they could do with a good clean out The tables and floor of the dining area get wiped but I wonder about how thorough the kitchen is cleaned especially when it is often staffed by high school kids on the absolute lowest of the low wages A rat would not even fit into a miso soup bowl (same word 'nezumi' in Japanese) might be possible though I'll some of you immediately thought of that Monty Python sketch.. I'll have a slice without so much rat in it floating to one side of the miso soup bowl Lucky to get the extra protein,surprised he wasn't charged extra So the "rat" fell/jumped into the bowl while they were preparing other ingredients and just died No struggles or attempts to get out of the bowl which might have alerted the staff presumably working in the same room Possibly put in by the customer for obvious reason Matsuya dispenses its miso soup from a dispenser; a drowned mouse would never end up like the dead mouse in Sukiya's miso soup https://x.com/Waracha/status/1903398393608896783 The customer ordered miso soup but was served ratatouille Sukiya beef bowl chain servers failed to notice the pointed snout In Japan this sort of thing is rather tragic for 'reputation' and trust Lack of available quality labor and tough business conditions probably played a role as well like so many businesses in Japan where margins getting crushed Oh my god that is the worst kind of hygiene failure imaginable ya think a rat in food is not going to affect trust and repuration in other countries There's no difference between rat and mouse in Japan; they are both 'nezumi' I worked in a Big Boy restaurant when I was a teenager and I can tell you this happens way more than you want to know We had a lunatic cook who trapped a RAT (not a mouse) and deep fried it I quit after three weeks and as a rule never eat at chain restaurants that hide their cooking areas so this means that the Rat actually jumped into the bowel then died and stayed there unnoticed while customers were served the soup from that large bowl until that one lucky customer received the actual Rat in his bowl while others had the Rat Flavored soup without knowing Underreporting here as usual has led to all kinds of wild inaccurate speculation The nezumi somehow made its way into a vat of miso soup that was being made at one of Sukiya's big operation centers in Gumna A crafty customer could have found a way to get a free bowl of soup I just can't imagine how someone could have dished out a mouse/rat into a bowl without a splash that would have displaced most of the soup Rats (and mice) have been and will be a problem in Tokyo with all of it's old buildings and back alleys When working in a restaurant in a backstreet of Ginza we had a sound system of "distressed rat calls" to be turned on when finishing at night to keep the real rats away And we put in acrylic covers in front of the lights at the resets of the ceiling so that no rats would accidentlly fall down had rats crawling up between the inner and outer walls Had to get in a professional who added metal grids and layed out lots of those very sticky sheets at night He told us how many he catched and at one point that he could smell a dead rat behind one of those grids next to the stairs to the cellar.. The company only thought about protecting the brand the company interest this article didn't mention anything about the customer accept just to say what they did to report what happened Shame on the company for posting on their website that "THE RAT" was a "foreign object" So in their true words the company is say the customer saw something different To make matters words they only thought to shut the down for two days rush to sanitize and report the incident to the public two months later perhaps hoping people would think much of it The place should not be opened until the Japanese Health Department if they have one inspected it and made sure that the company and all its locations pass inspections Although the term "nezumi" can be used for both rats and mice Dobunezumi is used for brown rats and Kumanezumi refers to black rats both larger than mice it means that in late January a lot of Sukiya customers drank a vatful of Nezumijiru The only one that didn't was the lucky fellow that found the stock cube My missus had the bibimba type one which was really good too In the States the customer would probably end up suing the chain for a hundred mill$ claiming mental distress and inability to eat soup for the rest of their lives Thankfully it's not at those levels here yet I hope he did so before bringing it to his mouth and slurping some down they do the bare minimum here when it comes to health inspection and I doubt they changed a thing at Sukiya Just found a scapegoat and will force minimum wage kids to "be more careful" (meaning don't get caught) Remy dreams of becoming a great chef but he drowned in his endeavor Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts A mix of what's trending on our other sites TOTTORI—Donning a matching gold “kabuto” headpiece to the one gifted to U.S President Donald Trump made a Japanese political leader here feel empowered to start issuing his own executive orders Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai tried on the headdress on Feb 19 that was presented by the local company that made it “This makes me want to issue a presidential order now.” a traditional doll company in Tottori city presented the same headpiece ornament that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba gifted to Trump at their Feb 7 summit in Washington to the Tottori prefectural government Tottori is Ishiba’s home prefecture and the doll company received an order for the ornament named “Amairo odoshi manten kinboshi kabuto,” priced at 168,000 yen ($1,110) Tottori Prefecture is known as “Hoshi(star)-tori Prefecture” because of its pristine starry night skies where the Milky Way and shooting stars are easily observed “The gold star on the head of (this headdress) is suitable for Hoshi-tori Prefecture.” He said he hopes the kabuto to be used as a tourism resource to help boost the prefecture as a whole Hirai presented a letter of appreciation to Hanafusa in return The gifted headdress will be displayed at the Tottori Okayama Shimbashikan The prefecture will also consider exhibiting the kabuto at the Osaka-Kansai Expo inquiries and orders came in from around Japan after the summit presidential gift was reported it takes more than two years to deliver the product because it is handmade and difficult to mass produce Ishiba presented golden ‘kabuto’ headpiece to Trump at summit City lists gay couple like de facto marriage for registry Man fired for embezzling 800 million yen to play the horses More capsule toy dispensers offer chance to win pearl necklaces Automated ticket gates will soon be installed at JR Tottori Station Until now it has been the task of the station staff to accept riders’ tickets Railway fans who will miss the old way of tickets being stamped by staff have steadily visited the station taking photos of the manned gate before it is replaced on March 15 Tottori Station opened in 1907 and is a stop on the San-in and Imbi Lines The station is also a stop for express trains to Okayama and Matsue About 9,000 passengers use the station each day (JR West) has installed automated ticket gates that read Icoca IC cards at 10 more stations on the San-in Line between Tottori and Kurayoshi The ticket gates there will also become automated starting March 15 He has fond memories of his first job at the station that saw him stamping and selling tickets for 1½ years Although the passengers’ convenience should be prioritized It is rare for a major station in a prefectural capital to have manned ticket gates has tickets stamped manually at Tokushima Station while automated gates were introduced in Matsuyama Station in September TOTTORI—Space-related businesses hoping to do testing for a future lunar mission can do the next best thing back on Earth without rocketing to the moon Tottori Prefecture in western Japan is speeding toward its goal of becoming a center for the space industry cashing in on the presence of a vast stretch of sand dunes that replicate the lunar surface in this city The prefecture opened what it calls the Luna Terrace which local officials say resembles the lunar surface in terms of its size and consistency of grains of sand on its stark landscape Since opening the terrace in July last year businesses and universities have utilized the site a dozen times touts a clear view of galaxies in its pristine night skies from anywhere within its jurisdiction due to fewer streetlights compared with other prefectures the prefectural government opened the terrace for research institutions working on space-related projects to conduct experiments or test prototypes there The space industry is deemed to hold great growth potential for the future Local officials are hoping that the site will propel the revitalization of the local economy The 0.5-hectare Luna Terrace is part of the famed Tottori Sand Dunes but is located outside the San’in Kaigan National Park While natural resources within a national park come under strict regulations the restrictions do not apply to the area beyond the park despite its proximity The terrace is divided into three zones: a level field a slope and a parcel where users can drill or transform to suit their purpose but a user is obliged to return the land to its original state after completion is one of the companies that carried out an experiment there Bridgestone researchers tested an all-metal tire that the company has been developing for a lunar rover from five years ago Conventional rubber tires are thought to be of no use on the moon because of the extremely harsh conditions such as sharp fluctuations in temperatures and intense space radiation hundreds of times stronger than on Earth The company’s second-generation “air-free” tire tested at the terrace has a metal spoke structure The structure was developed to extend the tire’s durability by securing large contact areas through optimization of the parts coming in contact with the lunar surface and minimizing the strain on the metal spokes Bridgestone officials cited two reasons for selecting the Luna Terrace for its test One is that the user can conduct various tests as they are allowed to transform the terrain to suit their experiments The other is that the sand is uniform in consistency across the site When the company began experiments on the tire for a lunar rover it had used an off-road course or sandy beach in the Kanto region But researchers now travel to Tottori Prefecture “We intend to advance our technology by striving to make it applicable in an unusual and extreme environment like the moon,” a Bridgestone official said “And we are hoping to incorporate the technology into the manufacturing of tires used on Earth.” Some local companies contracted with Bridgestone have participated in the experiments the terrace was used 12 times by 10 entities in fiscal 2023 two organizations utilized the site five times together by the end of August Three more groups have booked the site for use The prefecture promoted the Luna Terrace by exhibiting its diorama during a recent event in Tokyo allowing for a simulated experience of being on the moon More events are planned to feature the site in its pitch to bring scientists involved in space projects Companies keep copying from Earth’s greatest creator: Nature Virtual moon landing quest offered at Tottori Sand Dunes Japanese company’s lander rockets toward moon with UAE rover Nissan rolls out driverless buggy to traverse dusty lunar surface Chinese astronauts return to earth after six months in space Private space venture firm aims to land on moon on April 26 The skies over Shimane are always dramatic It’s befitting an area that’s known as “Land of the Gods,” the setting of many Shinto myths and home to the Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine where all kami are believed to congregate once a year in October On this particular day in December, I’m in front of Matsue Castle, when a starling murmuration swirls over my head and thunder sounds once. I’m in the middle of listening to a ghost story about a girl buried in the castle walls (a semi-legendary practice of human sacrifice known as hitobashira) from 19th-century writer and Japan transplant Lafcadio Hearn a second interruption comes not from the sky but in the form of two cats running and meowing straight at Naoko Fuji my guide and storyteller.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); to a nearby Inari Shrine populated by fox statues As she tells us another story about a mother coming back from the grave to feed her child that’s been buried alive The incident took place at a Sukiya location in Tottori Prefecture on Jan where it is believed that the rat entered one of several bowls being prepared for customers a customer at the Tottori Minamiyoshikata outlet noticed a "foreign object" mixed into a bowl of miso soup The company later confirmed that the object was すき家の味噌汁にネズミ入ってた動画これガチ？ pic.twitter.com/TxqkhIPv38 The restaurant was immediately closed for inspection and only reopened after a thorough examination by the local public health center Sukiya explained that the contamination occurred due to a staff member's failure to properly inspect the bowls Sukiya has instructed all its outlets to rigorously check dishes before serving and has issued a public apology NHK reported that the company also promised to strengthen its management systems to prevent similar incidents in the future Sukiya operates over 2,000 stores in Japan and has outlets across Asia Email: evne@vnexpress.netTel: 028 7300 9999 - Ext 8556 FPT Tower, 10 Pham Van Bach Street, Dich Vong Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Vietnam © Copyright 1997 VnExpress.net. All rights reserved. Mitsuko Tottori's journey to the top of Japan Airlines' parent company was long and unconventional. Tottori went to an obscure junior college and started as a flight attendant in 1985, becoming senior director of cabin attendants and chief customer officer. In April, she was named CEO and president and is the Japanese flag carrier's first female CEO. Tottori believes her strength lies in risk management and said her previous role as a flight attendant involved constant contact with risk. Tottori went to an obscure junior college and started as a flight attendant in 1985 becoming senior director of cabin attendants and chief customer officer she was named CEO and president and is the Japanese flag carrier's first female CEO Tottori believes her strength lies in risk management and said her previous role as a flight attendant involved constant contact with risk TOTTORI--Cyclists can now board trains on the JR Sanin Line with their unbagged and unfolded bicycles for journeys between Tottori and Yonago stations in the prefecture The first regularly scheduled Cycle Train service on the line is a joint effort by the prefectural government and West Japan Railway Co The section runs alongside the Tottori Uminami Road a prefecture-designated 150-kilometer-long cycling route hugging the Sea of Japan coast between Iwami and Sakaiminato The Cycle Train runs on weekends and holidays until Dec The outbound service leaves Tottori Station at 8:05 a.m. while the inbound service departs from Yonago Station at 3:59 p.m Cyclists can board the train only at Tottori where safety belts are provided so users can secure their bicycles cyclist passengers cannot get off the train at Higashiyamakoen Kurayoshi and Tottori Daigaku-mae stations Boarding with a bicycle incurs an additional fee of 500 yen ($3.30) The prefectural government is still discussing whether to operate the Cycle Train throughout the year and increase the number of services visit the official website at (https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/uminami/cycletrain/) which operates Japanese restaurant chain Sukiya after the firm said a customer had found a dead rodent in its miso soup Sukiya said the animal made its way into the soup while meals were being prepared at a branch in Tottori Prefecture on Jan and that staff "failed to notice” it before serving The chain said in an announcement on Saturday that it would double down on hygiene measures.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The restaurant also apologized for failing to disclose the incident sooner "Many customers ended up feeling anxious and worried” as a result Sukiya operates around 2,000 branches across Japan and is known for its beef rice bowls The long-term impact on Zensho’s shares will depend on whether the rodent incident leads to a significant fall in customers Zensho’s stock had been rising due to hopes of a profit boost from recent price hikes The shares have gained around 25% in the last 12 months "I don’t think the incident reflects a structural problem with the business But Sukiya can’t just dismiss it as a one-off accident,” Arisawa said 23 facilities built around the time of its opening in 1930 such as wooden station buildings and masonry platforms are registered as national tangible cultural properties I set out on a journey to explore the remnants of the Showa era (1926-89) By Nobuyuki Koshi / Special to Ryoko Yomiuri Publication The railway runs on a 19.2-kilometer route from Koge Station The interior of the train is reminiscent of old coaches livening up the atmosphere of the retro travel experience The neighboring Hayabusa Station also retains its original station building at the time of opening The ticket gate and station counter at Abe Station also remain as they were when the station was built where the platform eaves are made of rails manufactured by the Carnegie Steel Corp As I took in the views along with the Showa retro atmosphere The tin board with the station name on the platform the station building with its red tin roof and clapboard outer wall a water tower for steam locomotives (SL) and a working SL still on display — all of these made me feel as if I had stepped into a station in the early 20th century “We would like to carefully preserve and manage the remaining assets from the Showa era the company’s senior managing director and head of the general affairs department A Showa-era atmosphere is also felt in the town of Wakasa Showa Omocha-kan (Showa toy museum) on Kariyadori Street is packed with old-time sweets and toys I was filled with such a sense of nostalgia feeling as if I really was back in the Showa era An old private house was turned into a museum to re-create the feel of the Showa era Old-time household items and toys are on display at the back of the first floor The museum is a 5-minute walk from Wakasa Station Japan Tourism is presented in collaboration with Ryoko Yomiuri Publication, which publishes Ryoko Yomiuri, a monthly travel magazine. If you are interested in the original Japanese version of this story, click here.   Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting, readable fomat. becoming senior director of cabin attendants and later chief customer officer the company appointed her president and CEO making her its first female chief: a rare feat in Japan 118 on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap report Japan Airlines is reaping the rewards of Japan’s post-COVID tourism boom and the fallout from a runway collision that occurred two weeks before she was announced as chief executive Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version TOTTORI — A bust of a Japanese woman from 1,800 years ago whose face was reconstructed from bones unearthed from a Tottori ruins site The several hundred years around the time of Christ corresponded to the Yayoi period in Japan the woman is believed to have lived in the late Yayoi period Over 100 human remains were discovered at the Aoya Kamijichi ruins since excavations began in 1998 the Tottori prefectural government previously restored the faces of a man and a boy This is the first time a woman’s face has been reconstructed The woman is believed to have been in her 30s or 40s Tatsuhiko Hamada of the Aoya Kamijichi Historical Park began creating the facial reconstruction in 2021 using the bones of the Yayoi people re-created the face of a man in his 30s from a skull found in almost perfect condition along with the DNA extracted from it It marked the nation’s first attempt to reconstruct the face of a Yayoi person based on genetic information He then worked on reconstructing a woman’s face but found it difficult to discover the bones needed to use as a basis but he could not obtain bones from below the nose So he searched for pieces from the more than 5,000 bones preserved and joined them together to make up for the missing part helping me imagine a type of person who had lived here back then,” Hamada said “All three together will help get a picture of how people back then lived in this place.” Tottori Prefecture saw its first Someiyoshino cherry blossoms of the season open on Thursday according to the Tottori Local Meteorological Office The trees usually reach their peak bloom a week after first blooming but it will likely be delayed due to potential cold weather over the weekend the second daughter of Crown Prince Akishino visited a support facility for people with disabilities in Yonago a local music group made up of individuals with intellectual disabilities performed the hit song “Kaze ni Naritai” (I want to become the wind) Princess Kako joined in by shaking a maraca in her right hand and softly mouthing along to the song “I could feel everyone’s heartfelt emotions.” she attended the national high school sign language performance competition Volunteers have cleaned up the Tottori Sand Dunes along the Sea of Japan ahead of the upcoming spring holiday period About 2,800 people from 74 companies and organizations gathered at the sightseeing spot on Sunday The Tottori city government is one of the planners of the cleanup campaign The participants picked up garbage on the dunes and put it into trash bags They also collected what appeared to be fishing equipment Tottori City says over 180,000 people are expected to visit the dunes and surrounding areas during the spring holidays that begin next week A volunteer in her 40s said she wants to keep places like this clean and she hopes many people will visit the prefecture's tourist attractions The car carrying Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had contact with a security guard vehicle in front of his car during his visit to Tottori on Sunday morning Neither Ishihara nor anyone else was injured The prime minister visited his hometown in Tottori Prefecture on Saturday for the first time since taking office and was on his way to Tottori Airport to return to Tokyo Japanese version Copyright THE MAINICHI NEWSPAPERS. All rights reserved. 23 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Gainare Tottori won 3–0 over FC Gifu on Sun Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are Gainare Tottori 5 win(s) Haven't scored in their last 3 matches Have scored 6 goals in their last 5 matches Haven't kept a clean sheet in 6 matches Who won between Gainare Tottori and FC Gifu on Sun 23 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT?Gainare Tottori won 3–0 over FC Gifu on Sun 23 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 1 goals in their last 5 matches Gainare Tottori is playing home against FC Gifu on Sun It’s raining lightly as I walk through Shurakuen Garden I feel a sense of calm as a local guide explains the garden’s historical significance When Nobutomi Matsudaira and his clan came to power in 1698 succeeding the Mori family who built the grounds the daimyo “would use this garden as a meeting place for receiving vassals from other clans archery and other activities.”googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); the rain somehow feels right in the gardens of Shurakuen moss and a whimsical mushroom here and there The garden is now just a third of its original 77,000-square-meter size the daimyo are long gone and the modern citizenry of the west-central Chugoku region seems to be following suit Okayama ranks a middling 20th among prefectures in terms of population; to the north Tottori — A cargo and passenger ferry ship connecting Sakaiminato has resumed regular service after a five-year hiatus crossing the Sea of Japan in 15 hours one way Donghae is a coastal city in Gangwon Province The Eastern Dream went into service in 2009 eventually carrying a total of about 270,000 passengers But its South Korean operating company discontinued the service from 2019 Another South Korean company took over the business and began procedures to resume the ferry service the Eastern Dream arrived at Sakaiminato Port on Aug Passengers can bring much larger luggage with them on a ferry than would be possible on a plane One of the South Korean passengers arrived in the port carrying a mountain bike for a planned ride around Mt attended by officials from Gangwon Province as well as the Tottori prefectural and Sakaiminato municipal governments Participants voiced their hopes for promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two regions in the future The ship enters Sakaiminato Port every Saturday and departs for South Korea every Sunday TOTTORI — The Tottori prefectural government said on Tuesday it will participate in a demonstration in which the digital technology called Originator Profile (OP) is used to identify the disseminators of information on articles and other content on the internet to counter misinformation and disinformation The demonstration will be carried out until March The prefecture aims to introduce full-scale use of the technology in or after fiscal 2025 to publish information regarding disasters and disaster mitigation on its website According to the Originator Profile Collaborative Innovation Partnership (OPCIP) this is the first time nationwide that a demonstration of OP will be carried out by an administrative body OP is a technology that enables users to confirm the authenticity of online articles and advertisements by embedding an electronic identifier confirmed by third-party entities in each piece of information It also allows users to confirm information that has not been falsified The technology therefore is expected to be used to identify misinformation and disinformation an association of 45 organizations including domestic and foreign media the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry adopted the OP project to support the development of technologies to counter disinformation and misinformation on the internet The move came in the wake of the posting of fake rescue requests on social media after the Noto Peninsula Earthquake on New Year’s Day last year requested the association’s cooperation and decided to participate in the project According to the prefecture and the association the demonstration will be conducted on test pages that cannot be viewed by internet users It will be confirmed whether the information on disasters and disaster mitigation sent mainly by the local government is correctly embedded with the electronic identifier when the pages are published or updated The demonstration will run from this month to March The prefecture plans to provide the information of disseminators on the prefecture’s website The electronic identifiers will be provided mainly to the information regarding disasters and disaster mitigation for the time being the prefecture said information about other areas such as welfare and living environments will also be covered in the future the association will examine areas for improvement that can help other municipalities when introducing the system “In times of disaster and other emergencies websites run by public offices are extremely important,” said Tottori Gov Shinji Hirai at a press conference on Tuesday “We have a responsibility to provide reliable information online.” The land ministry has selected 26 model projects nationwide to promote a "dual habitation" lifestyle in which people divide their time between rural and urban areas Local governments and private companies will work together to support the projects including ones to cut fares for shinkansen and flight services the sources said Saturday.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); By reducing the burden on people traveling between two regions the projects aim to nurture human resources for new businesses and increase the number of people who support the lives of residents in regional areas TOKYO: If Japanese are looking to experience the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula without leaving Japan they could head toward Tottori Prefecture on the Japan Sea coast to visit Tottori Sand Dunes Tottori Sand Dunes extends along the Sea of Japan coast near Tottori City The area is designated as a special protected section of the San’in Coastal National Park spreading 2.4 kilometers north to south and 16 kilometers east to west San’in Coastal National Park was designated as quasi-national park in 1955 and was promoted to a national park in 1963 More than 1 million tourists visit the dunes every year The dunes were formed over 10,000 years ago from the granite rocks of the Chugoku Mountains that were blasted into sand and carried by sea and wind to the coast A dune is a mound or hill of sand piled up by the wind while a desert is an area where the annual precipitation is less than 250mm or a place that has an excess of evaporation over precipitation Tottori gets plenty of precipitation throughout the year although the heat can be desert-like at times in the summer The Tottori Sand Dunes are proud of their desert-like appearance which explains the presence of camels in the area that tourists can ride Calling it the “last battle” of his political career veteran Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Shigeru Ishiba on Aug 24 declared his candidacy for the party leadership post in September It will mark his fifth attempt to capture the position which would automatically make him prime minister due to the party’s majority in the Diet who is 67 and a former secretary-general of the ruling LDP announced his bid in his hometown of Yazu in the western Japan prefecture of Tottori He called it the culmination of his political life Ishiba said he will hold a news conference in Tokyo shortly to explain his policies “As the culmination of my 38 years of political life I will seek support with all my might for this as my last battle,” he said With the party’s recent slush fund scandal in mind Ishiba stressed the need for “rule-abiding politics.” it should be done with moderation,” he said He pledged “unlimited transparency” in this regard if he wins the leadership race next month Ishiba consistently ranks high in opinion polls conducted by media outlets His strength lies in the local votes of party members and the focus is on whether he can increase the support of Diet members Ishiba has been elected 12 times to the Lower House from Tottori’s 1st district He has also served as defense minister and farm minister He ran for LDP president four times: in 2008 He finished first in the first round of voting in the 2012 election but was defeated by Shinzo Abe in the runoff election (This article was written by Kohei Morioka and Mizuki Sato.) Ishiba popular among public but still not within LDP Ishiba resigns as faction leader over last-place finish in LDP poll Ishiba’s support a double-edged sword for Kono in LDP election Japan dark-horse premier candidate calls for ending BOJ’s negative rate policy offering sweeping views of the landscape ahead with its textured and wood-paneled exterior the building exudes a warmth that gently blends in with the nearby dunes all images © Kawasumi-Kobayashi Kenji Photograph Office As an homage to Tottori, which is well-known for folk crafts (‘Mingei’) culture, the team at Kengo Kuma and Associates incorporated local craftsmanship into the café interiors ‘Chairs are designed with cross-laminated timber while light pendants are made of Washi paper sprinkled with local sand. The bathroom sinks are made by Nakai-gama which uses a beautiful combination of green and black glazing,’ explains the practice.  warm-toned lighting enlivens the textured façades and rooftop pergola adding dramatic flair to the Tottori Takahama Café without taking away the inherently intimate atmosphere that floods its spaces.  warm-toned lighting dramatizes the café sculptural forms envisioned as a ‘staircase to the sky’ the wood-paneled exterior reflects the nearby dunes cross-laminated timber reaching for the viewing deck second floor with chairs designed using cross-laminated timber light pendants made of Washi paper sprinkled with local sand overlooking Tottori’s sand dunes and open waters name: Tottori Takahama Café  architecture: Kengo Kuma and Associates | @kkaa_official  construction: Taisei Corporation, Daiwa Kensetsu lighting: Daiko Electric Co., Ltd. photography: Kawasumi-Kobayashi Kenji Photograph Office AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style When Shoya Yoshida introduced the mingei movement to Tottori he infused the western Japan region with a love of folk crafts that would change approaches to craft production and lifestyles and put in place a legacy that continues to enrich the region today The simple beauty of Tottori's folk crafts can be found across the region in washi paper that offers the deepest dive into the mingei movement introduced here in the 1930s.  Visitors can even stop by kilns with direct connections to the person who made the introductions Noriyuki Yamamoto is ready to go.  We've barely taken our seats in the cafe at his kiln Craft-kan Iwai-gama in eastern Tottori Prefecture.  Coffee is yet to be served before the 75-year-old potter slips comfortably into an enthusiastic stream of thought and reflection about his life with mingei and the influence of "Yoshida sensei."  Tottori native Shoya Yoshida (1898 -1972) was a medical practitioner who treated patients at a clinic in downtown Tottori.  The building is still there though no longer a clinic.  Across the road are facilities established by Yoshida in his other guise as a producer of Tottori folk crafts and the man who brought the mingei folk craft movement to the region Knowing that he wanted to do something with his hands as a vocation at 16 Yamamoto sought the advice of Yoshida the mingei producer and once his childhood doctor "I went to see Yoshida sensei (at his clinic).  He was in the middle of an appointment with a patient and told me to wait a moment so I went to see an exhibit at the Folk Crafts Museum." That visit to the Tottori Folk Crafts Museum where the young Yamamoto found himself in awe of the Joseon white porcelain from Korea on display "is a big reason why we are here now," he tells us is located across the road from what was the doctor's clinic.  Today the museum offers visitors an insight into the life of Yoshida and is a good place for the novice to get a grasp of local folk crafts and the mingei movement.  can be found in the words of the people who started the movement in Japan in the late 1920s.  After the country began its rush to industrialize during the Meiji period a group of craftsmen led by philosopher and art historian Yanagi Soetsu (1889 - 1961) sought to save simple folk crafts from being left behind condemned to collect dust in the nation's attics Soetsu and his peers combined the words min meaning "the masses" or "the people," and gei meaning "craft," to create mingei - "crafts of the people" - often translated as "folk crafts."  The mingei movement saw beauty in objects used by ordinary people in their daily lives championing the creation of honest crafts of practical purpose What Yanagi championed was items for living and a way of living," Yamamoto explains For Yamamoto early inspiration of mingei as a way of living came when he was invited to Yoshida's house and saw a painting on display by Bernard Leach the influential British potter who had a close relationship with Japan and who embraced the simple He was inspired by people like William Morris and William Blake and started to create pottery I was only in my first year at high school but I was interested in the things they were doing When I went to sensei's house and saw Leach's work I thought this is the kind of lifestyle I want to live." was perhaps driven by Yamamoto's own idea of what mingei is - a way of life in which you take the initiative and surround yourself with that which you think is good which drove Yamamoto at 18 and still in high school to hitchhike from Tottori all the way to Tokyo in the hope of meeting his idol Leach who was visiting Japan at the time.   "I read in a newspaper that Leach was coming to Japan so I hitchhiked on a truck to Tokyo to meet him without having the fare to get back home," he recalls Yamamoto did get his meeting with Leach.  After that encounter and after graduating high school he took an apprenticeship at a kiln in neighboring Shimane Prefecture and started to surround himself with those things that he felt were good The cafe we're sitting in - Kissa Hana - is one of three main buildings at Craft-kan Iwai-gama built by Yamamoto.  Another houses a workshop and exhibition space displaying examples of tableware fresh from the kiln.  The third building is a "reference hall" showcasing items that have inspired Yamamoto over the years.  The hall also serves as an event space.   "I wanted to create in one place somewhere where I could make my own products and where I could have a space to show those crafts and other items that inspired me in the creation of my work." The Sankou-kan reference hall is a bright and airy space with wooden beams supporting a high-arched roof.  Among the cherished items here is a table-cum-counter designed by Yamamoto and a bed from Afghanistan (by way of Ginza).  Opening up a large wooden chest Yamamoto sifts through the myriad of boxes within opening one to reveal a mug made by his idol Up in the hall's attic room we are shown some of the Korean-style pottery that inspired a young Yamamoto as well as some of the leading figures of the mingei movement "It's not enough that only those people who like pottery come here though.  I had to create a reason for others to want to visit so we started holding events here like rakugo (comic storytelling) and live music." These days Craft-kan Iwai-gama receives around 10,000 visitors a year according to Yamamoto.  Some stay just down the road in the hot-spring town of Iwai Onsen Others have driven from as far away as Cape Soya the northernmost point of Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido Had others timed their visit to match ours they would have arrived at an Iwai-gama appearing as if soaked in a tropical languor after a rainy spell during Japan's lingering summer.  Rising above the tiled roofs of the kiln buildings the trees on the hillside are lush and green.  Across the road from the entrance a terrace of rice fields climbs slowly toward mountains in the hazy distance.  It's a quite beautiful setting Yanagi Soetsu wrote of an "idyllic kingdom of beauty," an ideal world where all crafted objects are beautiful.  At this moment it doesn’t feel like it would be much of a stretch to say that Iwai-gama could be an idyllic kingdom that Yamamoto has built for himself and others certainly looks very content with her surroundings in a corner of the kiln courtyard rising only from a midday slumber to receive some fuss from the cameraman.    there’s work still to be done.  He remains influenced by Yoshida sensei and the support the mingei producer gave to the craftspeople of Tottori like himself.  He wants to return the favor When Yoshida opened the Takumi Kogei-ten store in 1932 he created a vital outlet for local craftspeople where they could showcase and sell their folk crafts.  Today located next door to the Tottori Folk Crafts Museum is regarded as the oldest existing folk art specialty store in Japan and a key factor behind the strength of the mingei movement in Tottori "(My generation) started out on its own but there was always someone we could sell to someone who would give us money in advance.  That's what Yoshida sensei did for us "(The mingei movement) now needs to support those people who are yet to make sales the young craftspeople.  People like me can be put to the side." Yamamoto laughs at the latter statement but it reflects a belief held by the early champions of mingei that folk crafts be made by the anonymous craftsperson indistinguishable among the masses.  Accordingly or attach his name or that of his kiln to his work.  "In 30 years time I'll be gone and it won't matter if a particular folk craft item was made by me it will still be around.  That’s for sure." Ushinotoyaki Kamamoto is another of Tottori's kilns to have been directly influenced by Yoshida.  It was here that Yoshida began designing the items which he believed would bring Tottori's folk crafts into the modern age.   Bent in concentration over his rokuro potter's wheel in a dimly-lit kiln workshop Takao Kobayashi demonstrates the technique of kezuri shaving off unwanted clay to shape the base of the dish he is making.  the broad and bright rural landscape of mountains and fields unfolds.  In the late summer the rice fields appear almost golden and ready for harvest and the greens of the mountainsides are highlighted by brilliant red patches of spider lilies.  that border area of foothills between mountains and city where people make their living from the resources that the land provides.  this living starts with shuffling piles of earth dug out of the hillside up the steep driveway to a storehouse next to his workshop where he breaks it down to something finer.  From this he can filter out and produce the clay used to create Ushinotoyaki's folk craft pottery.  really.  No one likes doing this so they just buy their clay Kobayashi speculates that he might be the only potter in Tottori Prefecture to be making his clay from scratch he breaks into a beaming smile at our city-softened reactions of shock at the prospect of getting hands dirty in the course of a day's work.  Kobayashi shows us one of his noborigama kilns "climbing" up the steep hillside.  This particular kiln is no longer in use after suffering damage during an earthquake some years ago and now appears at risk of being consumed by the surrounding vegetation.  humble craftsperson that the founders of the mingei movement so championed.  Among the folk crafts made at Ushinotoyaki are some of the most recognizable examples of Tottori mingei - the black and green glazed tableware which bears the touch of Yoshida himself Yoshida visited Ushinotoyaki in 1931.  At that time the kiln under the stewardship of its fourth generation potter was largely producing suribachi mortar bowls that Yoshida began designing his folk crafts including the green and black glazed somewake plate that is perhaps among the most iconic pieces of Tottori mingei Yoshida advised the Ushinotoyaki potters to fade out production of the jars and jugs and focus more on the modern mingei tableware that the kiln continues to make today images of which can be seen in a myriad of Tottori tourism materials.  Or come and see the real thing at the kiln "Now when we say 'mingei,' we know what it means what kind of thing is mingei?" Kobayashi tells us.  "The potters paid attention to Yoshida's advice even though I think it would have been normal for them to have felt annoyed with this noisy person telling them what to do," he jokes It would be a few years after Yoshida's passing a native of Fukushima in Japan's northern Tohoku region would join the kiln and become its sixth generation potter.  but Kobayashi appears no less serious about the region's mingei movement.  financially or spiritually," he says.  We press him on the spiritual aspect.  What does he think about when making pottery except maybe what I'm going to have for lunch," he responds with another joke before getting serious again "I want to do work that keeps me grounded.  I have no desire to make things that are flashy I just want it to be used for a long time." even if it does mean getting those hands dirty.  Yoshiyasu Yamamoto is the next generation of potter in Tottori.  Or maybe the current generation.  He has no direct connection to Yoshida and only started producing folk crafts around 10 years ago at his family's Kokuzouyaki kiln in the city of Kurayoshi When Yamamoto's grandparents founded the kiln in the late 1800s it was as producers of kougei - more artistic crafts where practical purpose is not the be all and end all.  It was through a request from Takumi Kogei-ten that Yamamoto first started creating folk crafts and he is now involved in exhibitions at the Tottori Folk Crafts Museum "At that time I didn't really feel like I was making mingei I wasn’t conscious of it," he says of his early efforts at folk craft production "When I started helping out (at the museum) though I had the chance to discover old mingei items I took the opportunity to absorb knowledge from this and when I started creating things by incorporating these older forms I began to realize that I was creating mingei." one of Kokuzouyaki’s most popular folk craft designs is inspired by the Tottori Sakyu sand dunes itself one of the most iconic sights in the region.  Time a visit to the dunes right and you might see on their surface a pattern of wind ripples or "fumon," - ridges of sand created by Sea of Japan winds forming gentle lines that appear to move across the face of the dunes.  Yamamoto recreates this fumon pattern using the tobigana technique to create the ripples as lines of chattering dots across the surface of the tableware I had been working with the tobigana style already but many people commented that it looked like the dunes so I started taking that approach to it," Yamamoto says with casual ease and humility Yamamoto is open to the ideas of others in the pursuit of creating items which are comfortable and enjoyable for people to use.  Unlike some of his predecessors he doesn't have a hard and fast stance regarding his approach to mingei in production or in lifestyle.  Indeed Yamamoto appears to move with ease between the worlds of mingei and kougei.  The two crafts also look comfortable rubbing shoulders in his kiln’s exhibition space.  "There was an expectation that I would remain active in kougei so I still produce both.  Mingei is something to be used in daily life Kougei is more about artistic appreciation and if it is made for use it's more likely to be for special occasions.  That's the difference between the two.  Other than that I don’t think about any spiritual or philosophical divide." remain committed to protecting Tottori's craft traditions "I want more people to know about the culture of pottery here.  How we use local resources to make the kinds of things we do," he tells us Yamamoto collaborates with stores that young people are likely to visit to put Kokuzouyaki's crafts on the shelves One of these stores can be found in Kurayoshi's Shirakabe Dozo-gun district a traditional townscape of quaint streets and trickling streams.   Inside the area's white-walled storehouses and townhouses are craft stores among them Cocorostore where Yamamoto has some of his folk crafts on the shelves.  Pay attention to the store's lampshades hanging from the ceiling -  they were also made by Yamamoto at the request of the store The old townscape of Kurayoshi is just the kind of picture-perfect Insta-friendly setting likely to delight the younger Japan traveler especially those coming from the larger cities and from overseas.  And here they can also have an encounter with Tottori’s folk crafts that might inspire them to create an idyllic kingdom of beauty to call their own surrounded by things that bring them comfort and joy.  one which brings visitors into remarkably beautiful landscapes and settings to meet humble craftspeople and encounter the quiet beauty of their folk crafts.  https://www.tottori-tour.jp/en//sightseeing/?s=&area=eastern&order=standard&number=20 https://www.ana.co.jp/en/us/japan-travel-planner/tottori-hidden-gem/crafts/ Epic landscapes, unforgettable experiences: A day in Tottori City To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible The transport ministry summoned Japan Airlines President Mitsuko Tottori on Monday to issue a stern reprimand following a series of recent incidents involving JAL aircraft The ministry demanded that the company submit measures to prevent any recurrence by June 11.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Tottori said that the company is deeply sorry for causing great anxiety and will take appropriate measures after fully analyzing the incidents The reprimand was issued over a total of five incidents involving JAL in Japan and abroad since last November the wingtip of a JAL plane carrying some 300 passengers touched that of another JAL plane in a parking apron at Tokyo's Haneda Airport a JAL aircraft set to take off from Fukuoka Airport crossed a stop line after being instructed to halt causing a taxing plane on the runway to abort takeoff No injuries were reported in the two cases The ministry conducted an on-site inspection of the company on Friday under the civil aeronautics law Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Japan Airlines Co.'s newly appointed top executive Mitsuko Tottori said she will press ahead with diversity in its workplace and businesses as she looks to devise the carrier's post-COVID growth strategy as its first female CEO Tottori said she is confident that JAL will have female employees filling at least 30 percent of all management positions in the year through March 2025 "Everybody at the company is working toward our shared goal I don't find it particularly challenging," Tottori said in a recent meeting with a group of media organizations The figure stood at 29.8 percent as of the end of March this year Her appointment on April 1 is unusual in the global airline industry not just because she became JAL's first female CEO but also because she started her career as a flight attendant at Toa Domestic Airlines Co. many of her female colleagues left the company after marrying as few people in their workplace understood why women should continue working after marriage and there were few measures in place to keep married women at work "We have ramped up efforts to make women feel more comfortable working so they can continue their careers after various life events," Tottori said JAL has introduced measures such as fertility treatment leave and a more flexible promotion system Under the current business plan covering five years through March 2026 the airline plans to hire more foreign nationals in Japan and promote measures to have its employees work at firms outside the JAL group on temporary assignments JAL joins the less than 1 percent of major Japanese companies led by women Of some 1,800 companies listed in the top-tier Prime section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange female presidents accounted for only 0.8 percent as of January last year according to a joint survey by Kyodo News and Teikoku Databank Tottori also follows an increasing number of female top executives named in recent years by airlines in the United States Europe and other regions such as JetBlue Airways Corp. The industry seeks to improve the gender gap the International Air Transport Association launched the "25by2025" initiative a voluntary commitment calling on airlines worldwide to increase the number of women in senior positions and underrepresented areas by 25 percent or up to a minimum of 25 percent by 2025 The new CEO said she wants to boost revenues from non-airline operations such as the business related to rewards points The airline industry was reeling from a plunge in air travelers during the coronavirus pandemic "The pandemic has ended and now the company is back on a growth track," Tottori said "We hope to make this company more sustainable." acquisitions are being considered as an option although there are no specific targets at the moment Having spent the first three decades of her career as a flight attendant and as a manager overseeing them she said her strength lies in keenly grasping customers' needs adding she hopes to see more JAL flight attendants rise through the ranks in the future "Some of them may become future management members," she said "Our (management side) job is to offer more opportunities so they can gain more experiences." JAL's annual net profit grows 2.8-fold on travel demand rebound Japan saw over 16,000 deaths from COVID-19 in May-Nov. 2023 JAL flies 1st freighter in 13 years amid high online shopping demand She has spent the majority of her career at JAL and began as cabin crew before entering management Mitsuko Tottori has been named the new president of Japan Airlines (JAL) She is the first woman to ascend to the top of the company after a career progressing through its management structure Tottori’s appointment was described as “deeply symbolic” because Japan’s workforce gender gap is almost double the OECD average and the highest in the G7 Women in Japan typically earn only 78% of men’s earnings for the same work. The promotion is the second time a woman has been elevated to the top job at a major airline in as many weeks. Joanna Geraghty was made CEO of JetBlue after a long career at the US carrier Tottori has worked at JAL for much of her career She began at the company as cabin crew in 1985 before progressing through senior management roles She is currently a senior managing executive director and will start her new role on 1 April “There are female employees out there who are struggling with their career steps or going through big life events I hope my appointment as a president can encourage them or give them the courage to take the next step,” the incoming president said JAL set itself a target for women to make up 30% of managers across the group by the end of the fiscal year to March 2026 One of the key challenges for the start of Tottori’s tenure will be the aftermath of the recent incident at Haneda Airport in Tokyo Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis The airline said it expects to lose at least $100m after the deadly accident JAL said Tottori boasted a “high level of insight and field experience” in safety and operations through her years with the airline Nominations are now open for the prestigious Airport Technology Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Japan's transport ministry on Monday warned Japan Airlines Co saying a spate of recent incidents involving its aircraft could have resulted in serious accidents The warning came days after one of the airline's A350 jetliners made contact with the wing of another JAL plane on the apron at Tokyo's Haneda airport No one among the 328 onboard the Sapporo-bound flight was injured but the flight was eventually canceled another JAL plane waiting to take off at Fukuoka airport in southwestern Japan crossed the stop line without permission The warning poses a major challenge for CEO Mitsuko Tottori The company's first female top executive has vowed to prioritize customer safety on the heels of a collision between a JAL plane and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft at Haneda airport in January All 379 people onboard the burning JAL A350 jetliner were safely evacuated on Jan with the media describing their escape and survival as "a miracle." Five coast guard members on the other plane Transport and Tourism urged the company to report to the ministry on the measures it was putting in place to prevent similar incidents from happening again by June 11 Speaking to reporters at the ministry after meeting with an official overseeing the airline industry Tottori said the company will ramp up efforts to strengthen safety "There may be more causes of the accidents than we had identified," Tottori said "We will do our utmost to investigate the causes and come up with measures to prevent them." Transport ministry reviews safety at JAL after spate of incidents United Airlines plane makes emergency return to Japan airport JAL looks to diversify workplace, businesses under 1st female CEO He studied architecture at the University of Tokyo In 1990 he founded "Kengo Kuma & Associates" and extended the study to Europe (Paris has taught as a visiting professor and holder at the universities of Columbia Notable projects include Japan National Stadium (2019) Kengo Kuma proposes architecture that opens up new relationships between nature His major publications include Zen Shigoto(The complete works IwanamiShinsho) and many others.Main Awards:· 2011 The Minister of Education Science and Technology's Art Encouragement Prize for "Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum."· 2010 Mainichi Art Award for “Nezu Museum.”· 2009 "Decoration Officier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" (France).· 2008 Energy Performance + Architecture Award (France) Bois Magazine International Wood Architecture Award (France).· 2002 Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award (Finland).· 2001 Togo Murano Award for “Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum.”· 1997 Architectural Institute of Japan Award for “Noh Stage in the Forest” AIA DuPONT Benedictus Award for “Water/Glass” (USA) Archive Architecture This traditional kabuto helmet is decorated with gold ornaments was given to US President Donald Trump by Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru as a souvenir during their summit talks this month It was chosen as President Trump is known to like the color gold it has already sold out due to a flood of enquiries and orders since the end of the summit meeting Ningyouno Hanafusa President: I hope that this will bring more attention to Tottori Prefecture The company is now accepting reservations for the next production run of the helmets but it will be about two years before customers will receive it The next batch is expected to be available after January 2027 About Nippon Television Tottori — Motorbike riders have been revitalizing a small unstaffed station on a local train line in Yazu The Wakasa Railway line station has become a pilgrimage spot for the motorbike riders because the name of the station matches that of a large motorbike model from Suzuki Motor Corp and only about 40 people use the station a day the station is roaring with motorbike riders who come from all over the nation to see it and its surrounding areas Riders began gathering at the station around summer 2008 after an article in a motorbike magazine proposed the date of Aug 8 as Hayabusa Day and called on riders with Hayabusa model bikes to gather in front of the station only seven Hayabusa motorbike riders heeded the call but they promised to reconvene at the station again the following year Local volunteers began cooperating with the annual gathering by cleaning the station and performing other supportive tasks the locals held an event — the Hayabusa Station Festival — featuring local specialty products and a talk show inviting a famous motorbike racer to the town The festival has become increasingly popular a record high of about 2,500 riders gathered an event was held in which motorbike riders traveled alongside a train car featuring pictures and logos of Hayabusa model bikes About 40 riders participated in the event and took commemorative photos in front of the station once feared that it would go out of business due to a lack of passengers the train line has become a tourist attraction The motorbike riders’ talk about the station has even contributed to the revitalization of areas along the train line