Sakaiminato, Japan: Yōkai Street and the Gateway to Tottori's Sand Dunes

Mizuki Shigeru Road runs through the commercial center of Sakaiminato and is exactly what it sounds like: a kilometer of shopping street flanked by bronze yōkai at regular intervals. The statues range from the famous characters of GeGeGe no Kitaro — Kitaro himself, his eyeball father, Nezumi Otoko (Rat Man) — to obscure regional spirits most visitors will not recognize. The Mizuki Shigeru Memorial Hall at the end of the road houses original manuscript pages, figurines, and an interactive walkthrough of the supernatural world Mizuki spent sixty years building. The museum is well-presented for both fans and people encountering the work for the first time.

Tottori Sand Dunes, the largest sand dunes in Japan at roughly 2.4 km wide and 16 km long, are about ninety minutes from Sakaiminato by car. They sit along the San'in Coast National Park between the Sea of Japan and a pine forest. The dunes rise to over 90 meters in places; the footprints from morning visitors are erased each evening by the wind. Camel rides operate at the base; the Sand Museum in the adjacent facility hosts monumental sand sculptures by international artists and changes its theme annually.

The San'in Kinsen Railway operates a local train between Sakaiminato and Yonago, the nearest large city, in thirty minutes. From Yonago, buses run to the dunes. The logistics are manageable without an organized tour if you are comfortable with Japanese transit signage, much of which is bilingual.

Matsue Castle, forty minutes from Sakaiminato, is one of only twelve original castle towers remaining in Japan — most others are postwar concrete reconstructions. The five-story tower dates to 1611 and still has its original wooden interior structure. Matsue is also associated with Lafcadio Hearn, the writer who described Meiji-era Japan for Western audiences; his former residence and museum are in the castle district.

Local seafood in Sakaiminato is centered on snow crab (matsuba-gani) from November to March and fresh flatfish year-round. The fish market on the harbor waterfront sells directly; lunch at one of the adjacent restaurants above the market floor is straightforward.