Photo: by Reggaeman, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Starting from the castle ruins, climbing takes around half an hour and offers a great view of the city and surrounding area, all the way out to the sand dunes. But watch out for the ghosts of those who starved at the top during the castle siege.
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鳥取城
Built in 1545, Tottori Castle was destroyed in a massive siege in the 19th century, and only the foundations remain. The surrounding park is the perfect place to go during cherry-blossom season. The site offers a nice view of the city below from the lower reaches of Mt. Kyusho, or you can climb to the top for a view of the whole valley. Some locals say that the mountaintop is haunted by ghosts of people who were forced to resort to cannibalism during the siege of the castle.
仁風閣
This French-style mansion was home to the remnants of the Edo-era feudal clan, Ikeda.
鳥取県立博物館, tottori-kenritsu hakubutsukan
A two-story museum that displays the flora and fauna of Tottori, regional rocks and minerals, historical artifacts, festival and local cultural artifacts, and a variety of art produced in the city. (Most of the prehistoric artifacts are reproductions; most of the other displays are real, though.) Some of the standouts are the largest preserved squid in Japan and a live giant salamander.
わらべ館
This museum features a re-creation of an old school building and many interesting tin toys.
樗谿神社
Built in 1650 by Mitsunaka Ikeda, the first lord of Tottori. The god worshipped here is the same worshipped at Toshogu Shrine in Nikko. It's a popular place to watch fireflies at night in the late summer.
やまびこ館
Interactive multimedia and digital displays about the city's history and culture. It's about 15 minutes on the red bus from JR Tottori Station.