Sand Museum

Tottori's Sand Museum, or Suna no Bijutsukan, is a museum dedicated to sculptures made from sand. Just a short walk away from Tottori's famous Sand Dunes, the Sand Museum displays amazing sand sculptures created by artists all over the world. The fragile nature of sand means these sculptures will eventually collapse over time, but it also acts as a reason for guests to return and see the new works that replace the fallen sculptures. Initially opened in 2006 as a temporary, outdoor exhibition, the museum has grown in popularity attracting large crowds of travelers and tour groups. The museum eventually moved to its permanent location indoors in 2012, where it continues to draw tourists interested in the unique sand artworks. The museum is said to be the world's first permanent indoor exhibition space dedicated to sand sculptures and sand art.

The exhibitions change annually due to the fickle nature of sand sculptures, and the museum usually has a theme based on other countries or regions. Past themes at the sand museum include: Italy/Renaissance Edition, World Heritage / Asia Edition —on the Asian Wind—, World Tour on sand / Austria Version and Travel Around the World in Sand / South America Version to list a few. Each exhibition is meant to capture the essence and spirit of the region, paying homage to the spectacular art and customs of the cultures. The exhibitions run from April until January of the next year, so check in advanced to see what kind of sculptures you'll find.

Interested in seeing this year's unique sand sculpture theme? Add the Tottori Sand Museum to your vacation after a Highlights Japan or Cherry Blossom Japan Tour in Hiroshima. You can also ask your travel agetn about Japan Deluxe Tour's affordable line of custom and private small-group tour packages to explore this beloved Tottori attraction and the rest of Southern Japan!