Against the backdrop of the Sea of Japan, the sand dunes of Tottori reveal a landscape worthy of the Sahara Desert. Some 16km/10mi long and 2km/1mi wide, the dunes are shaped by the wind, creating amazing ripples and shadows. There is sand as far as the eye can see, with the occasional patch of green left over from the spring and autumn rains. The sediments deposited by the Sendai River and swept inland by the marine currents, have accumulated here over tens of thousands of years, rising to a height of 90m/300ft in places.