Tottori Sand Dunes: Where the wind and sand meet the land and sea
All permits were obtained for filming.
What are the Tottori Sand Dunes?
San'in Kaigan National Park was designated as a quasi-national park in 1955, and was upgraded to a national park in 1963. 131 hectares of the Tottori Sand Dunes, which offer beautiful sand dune scenery, have been designated a special protection zone, with all activities subject to strictest restrictions. In 1955, the Tottori Sand Dunes were also designated a national natural monument, due to their academic value, including their large undulations as a coastal sand dune, even on a global scale, their unique topography, including wind ripples, sand curtains, sand columns, and sea laurels, and the presence of plant communities.
The difference between sand dunes and deserts
A sand dune is a hill made of sand carried by the wind. A desert is an area with an annual rainfall of 250 mm or less, or where evaporation is greater than the amount of rainfall, and is a land with a lot of sand, gravel, and rocks.
Therefore, even if the surface of the sand in a sand dune is dry, when you dig, wet sand comes out immediately. In the desert, the amount of water that evaporates is greater than the amount of rainfall, so when you dig, only dry sand comes out.
The origins of the Tottori Sand Dunes
① Granite from the Chugoku Mountains weathers into sand.
②When it rains, the sand turns into sediment and flows into the Chiyo River.
3) It is carried down the river, goes out into the Sea of Japan, and is pushed back to the shore by waves.
4. Strong winds blowing from the Sea of Japan blow sand inland.
This process has been repeated over many years up to the present day, forming the Tottori Sand Dunes.
Creatures of the Tottori Sand Dunes
・The temperature of the sand can exceed 50°C on hot summer days
・Strong winds and flying sand
- Dry ground surface due to poor moisture retention of sand, poor food (nutrition)
Lack of hiding places puts them at risk of being targeted by predators
In every respect, sand dunes are a harsh environment for plants and animals to live in.
However, even in this extreme environment of the Tottori Sand Dunes, a variety of plants and animals live.
Tottori Sand Dunes
Address: 689-01052164-971 Yuyama, Fukube-cho, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture
Website:https://www.sakyu-vc.com/jp/
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