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  • Tottori Sand Dune Adventure: Japan’s Crazy Desert Revealed

  • So here I am in Tottori

  • at the Tottori Sand Dunes or the Tottori Sakyu

  • Now this place might just look like a big beach but

  • it’s a lot more than that

  • Youre image of Japan is probably of Tokyo

  • the bullet trains buzzing by

  • Tokyo Tower. SkyTree

  • Lots of people. Neon signs.

  • Restaurants everywhere.

  • And here

  • There’s not even a vending machine. I mean ..

  • Come on! It’s just a bigdesert!

  • Exactly! This is Japan’s biggest desert

  • which is right on the coast of Tottori City

  • on the Sea of Japan.

  • 16 km by 2 km wide

  • making it more than half the size of Manhattan in New York.

  • See those dots down there?

  • Those are tourists climbing the over 50m high sand dune.

  • Which is exactly what I’m about to do right now.

  • The sand dunes are Tottori’s biggest tourist draw

  • with over 2 million people visiting annually

  • It’s part of the Sanin Kaigen National Park.

  • The dunes can be anywhere from 50 to 90 meters high!

  • It’s one of the strangest sights to see in Japan.

  • You can even ride camels!

  • Native to --

  • Somewhere, but not here.

  • There’s also sand surfing, paragliding and horse carting

  • if you don’t like wandering around the desert.

  • The Tottori Sand Dunes are an amazing sight.

  • From here, you can see the whole horizon

  • and contemplate life as we know it.

  • or you can get up

  • and go to theSuna no Bijyutsukanor the SAND MUSEUM.

  • It’s a world class art museum

  • with some of the most impressive sand sculptures in the world.

  • Each one is created by an international artist

  • sharing a common theme.

  • It truly is like entering another world.

  • Sand is used from the dunes across the street

  • and recycled every year.

  • The art of sand sculpting started in the US over 40 years ago

  • and its popularity has spread.

  • This museum with the dedicated leadership of executive producer

  • Chaen-san (茶園さん)

  • opened in 2006.

  • This really is incredible.

  • The creator of all this is Chaen-san

  • and I got a chance to interview him earlier

  • and asked him, how is this all possible?

  • Nature created the Tottori Sand Dunes

  • and this man-made museum

  • seems like the perfect compliment to it all.

  • Chaen-san is the executive producer of the sand museum.

  • He’s also a world renown sand sculptor

  • and brings all the artists together to make what you see here.

  • Now he’s creating a sculpture of Christ the Redeemer from Rio.

  • He uses all sorts of tools to work the sand.

  • The color and consistency of the Tottori Sand Dune Sand

  • is perfect for this type of art.

  • There are straws.

  • Brushes.

  • Spatulas.

  • Clay loops.

  • Even curry rice spoons!

  • Many of the items are things most people

  • already have in their garage

  • or in their wallets!

  • Is that a ...

  • A gold American Express card.

  • It’s light, flexible and does the job.

  • Of course Chaen-san recommends GOLD!

  • These tools help there artist’s vision

  • and I wanted to get to know more about Chaen-san’s vision

  • for this museum.

  • This place had nothing. Just fields.

  • So with the help of city officials,

  • we cut down the bushes,

  • and created sculptures.

  • 110,000 people came in just a month.

  • So Tottori thought this might work

  • as a tourist attraction

  • and continued every year since.

  • The next year, 200,000 people came.

  • Then 300,000 and

  • after 400,000, we needed a building for it.

  • Every time a typhoon came

  • it blew away our work.

  • So this museum building was constructed.

  • It’s a very modern and clean building where

  • your mother won’t be angry at you

  • for bringing sand into the house.

  • It’s a sand paradise!

  • The layout has been well planned.

  • with mysteries you can uncover like --

  • MACHU PICCHU

  • Only visible from the upper floor.

  • This year’s theme is South America

  • looking at its history.

  • Chaen-san emphasises the people.

  • The faces are lifelike and amazingly detailed.

  • The Golden color of the Tottori sand here

  • is good for seeing the shadows.

  • Even love has a place here ...

  • but those monkeys better stay in the trees!

  • It’s a jungle down there!

  • The Rio Summer Olympics in Brazil has had an influence as well.

  • Samba dancers popping out of the sand, making it a festival.

  • This looks like the head of Jesus

  • on the Statue in Rio de Janeiro

  • that’s so famous.

  • But I can’t see his arms.

  • Christ the Redeemer: The Mystery

  • Where are the arms?

  • It’s so big you have the stand back.

  • No, even further!

  • The arms can only be seen here.

  • The illusion coming together perfectly

  • at this spot.

  • Ingeniousand stunning.

  • I asked Chaen-san a little bit more about the Tottori Sand Dunes.

  • One reason for this popularity is the key word,

  • Ecology. It’s a big key word.

  • Now sand sculptures are created indoors,

  • but back then

  • it was built on the beach.

  • When the waves went out, we made it,

  • and the waves came back in

  • and it all returned to the sea.

  • That is the basic concept

  • so we always have that in mind.

  • So it’s not a permanent exhibition.

  • We have to return it to nature once a year.

  • If we forget that basic concept,

  • this culture will be destroyed.

  • That’s how I feel.

  • We have to keep that feeling

  • close to our hearts

  • to keep this work alive

  • we can’t forget that nature exists.

  • That’s probably the most important thing.

  • Chaen-san is originally from Kagoshima

  • but the uniqueness of the Tottori Sand Dunes

  • attarcted him to live here

  • to start this museum.

  • Nowhere else can this exhibit be recreated.

  • I was able to invite many people

  • from around the world and

  • I could create this situation here.

  • The Tottori Sand Dunes and this museum

  • is one of the highlights of my life.

  • A very big stage in my life.

  • The sand dunes were created 100,000 years ago

  • from sand blowing off the sea, accumulating in this spot.

  • It’s been shrinking because barriers to prevent

  • tsunamis have disrupted the currents and sand flow

  • vegetation creeping in.

  • The city is trying to reverse it now because

  • it’s spectacular.

  • Unique and a reason to travel to Tottori.

  • Just to see a little Sahara in Japan.

  • With loads to do and see,

  • it’s an awesome escape to a natural and beautiful area

  • of Japan.

  • Devoid of all vending machines.

  • Next time: the ONLY in JAPAN Question & Answer episode!

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Tottori Sand Dune Adventure: Japan’s Crazy Desert Revealed

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