Uradome Coast & Iwai Onsen

The Uradome Coast, part of the San'in Kaigan UNESCO Global Geopark, sits about 20 km northeast of Tottori City and pairs naturally with a stop at Iwai Onsen, one of the San'in region's oldest hot spring towns. From JR Tottori Station, the San'in Line reaches Iwami Station in 20-30 minutes, from which it's about a 1 km walk to Uradome Beach and its sightseeing boat pier. A morning boat tour (¥1,800/$12 adult) winds past the coast's sea caves, rock arches, and pine-covered islets, a view largely inaccessible on foot; sea kayaking is also available for those wanting a more active look at the coastline. After the water-based activities, Uradome Beach itself offers a swim in its famously clear, sheltered coves during the July-August bathing season, or simply a walk along the marked clifftop geopark trail for views over the same coastline from above. In the afternoon, the Nagatani-Oshima bound bus covers the roughly 8-minute ride from Iwami Station to Iwai Onsen, a hot spring town with 1,300 years of history along the Gamo River. Iwai's public bathhouse offers day-use bathing for a modest fee, and free footbaths dot the small town center for those short on time. The town preserves a rare Edo-period bathing custom called yukamuri, in which bathers wrap a wet hand towel around their head while soaking, still practiced at some of the inns. With only two inns and one public bathhouse remaining, Iwai stays quiet and unhurried compared with larger onsen towns, a fitting wind-down after a morning on the water. The full loop of coast, beach, and onsen fits comfortably into a single day from Tottori City.