By YOSHIHIRO TOMITA/ Staff Writer
April 21, 2025 at 07:00 JST
An artist works on a sand sculpture at the Tottori Sand Museum in Tottori on March 25. (Yoshihiro Tomita)
TOTTORI--Sand sculptors are putting the finishing touches on their gritty masterpieces for a special exhibition opening on April 25 at the Tottori Sand Museum near the Tottori Sand Dunes here.
The indoor museum dedicated to sand sculptures made by using only sand and water has been hosting the “Travel Around the World in Sand” exhibition under a different theme almost every year.
This year, the 16th installment is themed on Japan in a tribute to the Osaka Kansai Expo, which will open on April 13.
It will showcase 19 works of sand art by 20 artists from 12 countries around the world.
Featuring historical figures, ukiyo-e paintings and other aspects of Japanese culture, the exhibits will trace the history of Japan, encompassing the times of mythology, the Warring States period (late 15th to late 16th centuries), the Edo Period (1603-1867) and the present day.
Of the 20 sculptors, five, including two Japanese artists, are participating in the exhibition for the first time.
Kei Hirooka, 41, who is based in Fukuoka Prefecture, said it was a dream for her to create a sand sculpture for the museum and to entertain spectators.
Nozomu Daikuzono, 60, from Kagoshima Prefecture, said it was a great honor to be part of the exhibition.
The sculptors were given 15 days until April 5 to work on their projects, using a total of about 3,000 tons of sand.
The highlight is a large piece measuring about 20 meters wide and 5 meters tall, featuring the World Heritage Himeji Castle, Mount Fuji and the famed Kiyomizudera temple.
"The sculptures will express the aesthetics that lie at the heart of Japanese culture, the dynamism of samurai warriors, the world of mythology and other concepts," said Katsuhiko Chaen, 64, executive producer of the museum, who is also a sand sculptor himself. "You can wait with high expectations."
The exhibition will run daily until Jan. 4, 2026.
Admission is 800 yen ($5.30) for adults and 400 yen for elementary, junior and senior high school students.
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