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Half-day paragliding courses suitable for beginners, operated by professionals. If you've never tried paragliding, these sandy surfaces are a good place to start. Reservations required.
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らくだや
Anyone who knows anything about sand dunes knows that they're meant to be traveled atop a camel. You'll find the camels by the main entrance in front of the lift. The actual riding time is quite brief. You may want to watch other riders make the 10-minute circuit before paying for a ride.
鳥取砂丘サンドボードスクール
This is by far the best place in Japan to experience sandboarding. Each course lasts 2 hours, reservations required. There must also be at least 10 people signed up for that day, or the course will be cancelled.
鳥取砂丘 Tottori sakyū
16 km from east to west, the Tottori Sand Dunes are a favorite target for climbing, exploring, and more. The main portion of the dunes are much smaller than 16km (about 2 km, east to west), but they can still be impressive. If you arrive very early in the morning, you can see the unique patterns carved by the wind before they get trampled by the scores of people who come to climb the biggest dune. If you'd prefer not to get sand in your shoes, a cable car ride (¥200 one way) leads to the Dune Observatory Center. After heavy rains, the oasis below the uma no se (the largest dune) forms into a beautiful lake. The ¥300 loop bus is the cheapest way of getting to the dunes from Tottori Station; the local bus will cost ¥380, or ¥330 if you stop at "kodomo no kuni" stop, where you can walk right away on the dunes from the west side. For other activities that can be enjoyed at the sand dunes, see the "Do" section.
All-day hang gliding lessons suitable for beginners. Reservations required.
渡辺美術館, Watanabe Bijutsukan
Opened in 1978 by the late Hajime Watanabe, a local doctor who began his collection when he was working in Taiwan in the 1940s. This museum houses a wild display of samurai armor and artifacts, as well as a selection of other things such as musical instruments and ukiyo-e woodblock prints.
久松山, Kyūshō-zan
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.