Tottori City at a glance
Tottori City, the city that gives the prefecture its name, is not the same thing as the prefecture itself, which stretches far to the west. In the tourist split of east, centre and west, the city and the Uradome coast make up the east. Tottori Station is the transport knot: the airport bus from Tottori Airport takes about 20 minutes to the station, and local buses run from there to the harbour district of Karo. Many visitors use the city as a base for the castle ruins, the seafood market and the coast.
Plan a half day for the castle and park, another half day for Karo and the market, and add a stop at the hot spring town of Hamamura if you are travelling along the coast.
Our picks: tours around Tottori City
A guided dune walk, a fat bike tour with the Sand Museum and a pottery workshop from Tottori Station. For a short walk on the dunes take the guided walk; with more time, the fat bike tour fits.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Pottery workshop with a transfer from Tottori Station
- Round-trip private transfer
- English-speaking guide
- Pottery workshop fee
A pottery workshop with a round-trip transfer from Tottori Station and an English-speaking guide. This booking is not free to cancel.
Check availability →
Fat bike ride on the dunes with a Sand Museum visit
- Fat bike tour with insurance and rental
- Sand Museum admission
- Lunch
A five-hour fat bike tour packaged with Sand Museum admission and lunch. This booking is not free to cancel.
Check availability →
Guided walk on the Tottori Sand Dunes
- Guided tour of the dunes
- Visit to the dunes Visitor Center
An hour and a half on the Tottori Sand Dunes with a guide, including a stop at the Visitor Center.
Check availability →Tours and workshops around Tottori City
Guided walks, a pottery class with a transfer and day tours from the coast and the city, with live prices and availability.
Tottori Castle ruins and Hisamatsu Park
Stone walls and foundations on a wooded hill.
Tottori Castle was built in the Sengoku period and is best known for Hideyoshi's siege, which cut off the supplies of the defenders. Today you will find mostly stone walls and foundations rather than a standing castle; the bridge and the main gate at the entrance have been reconstructed. Do not expect a keep. The walk is about the layout of the hill, the views over the city and the walls themselves.
From Hisamatsu Park it is about 10 minutes on foot to the Ninomaru level and about 40 minutes to the summit area. Wear shoes with grip and bring water for the longer climb. The story of the siege and of the castle town is told on our history page.
Jinpukaku
A white Western-style mansion that is currently not open to visitors.
Jinpukaku is closed for conservation work. According to the Japanese page of the city tourism service it has been shut since 29 December 2023 for about five years, and since the end of September 2025 the building has been covered by the construction site. No reopening date is given, so do not plan a visit inside. The Ho-ryu-in garden and the Ho-sen-an teahouse next to it remain accessible.
Karoichi seafood market
Karoichi is a retail seafood market in the harbour district of Karo, separate from the wholesale market. From Tottori Station the Hinomaru Karo line takes about 35 minutes. Get off at Kanikkokan-mae for a walk of about one minute, or at Karo Kaigan for about five minutes. Shops keep their own hours, so the stalls do not share one opening plan.
For crab season dates and the species on offer, see Tottori crab and local food. Fresh seafood is also sold in Sakaiminato, covered on our Sakaiminato page.
Hamamura Onsen
A small hot spring town by its own station.
Hamamura Onsen lies in Ketaka-cho, in Tottori City, beside Hamamura Station. The tourist centre of the town is about two minutes on foot from the station. Bath prices differ between houses, so ask where you plan to bathe. For a night out here instead of the city, compare the options on where to stay.
Tottori Sand Dunes
The dunes stretch about 16 km from east to west and 2.4 km from north to south. They have their own guide on a sister site: Tottori Sand Dunes covers the dunes, the sand museum and activities.
Uradome Coast
East of the city, the rocky Uradome coast belongs to the San'in Kaigan Geopark. The sister guide Uradome Coast describes it.
Tottori City: questions
Can I visit Jinpukaku?
The mansion has been closed since 29 December 2023 and has been covered since the end of September 2025. No reopening date has been published, so plan for the outside view of the site at most.
Is there a castle to see at Tottori Castle ruins?
You see stone walls and foundations, a rebuilt bridge and a rebuilt main gate. The hill and the views are the reason to go.
How do I get to Karoichi from Tottori Station?
Take the Hinomaru Karo line bus, about 35 minutes, and get off at Kanikkokan-mae or Karo Kaigan. Check the timetable before you go.
How far is the airport from the city?
The airport bus from Tottori Airport reaches Tottori Station in about 20 minutes. See the airports page for flights and buses.