How to pretend you're not in Japan for a weekend:

Head to the annual San-in beach party in Tottori-ken. It's about a 3 hour train ride away from where I live. Arrive on a Friday night, in the dark, and set up your tent on the beach amongst a maze of others. Only hear English being spoken. Head up to the main area where there are djs spinning, couscous, pizza, tacos and curry for sale. Dance dance dance dance dance. Wake with the intense heat of your tent at 7am. From here you have 2 options-- stay on the beach in luxury and really believe you aren't in Japan, or venture out and maybe risk running into Japanese people and shattering the illusion.


I chose the venturing out. We went on a random hike, which lead to a beautiful inlet. Rocky cliffs, clear cool water, perfect. Well, perfect minus the random tour boats that went by, which we dutifully waved to. I can't quite decide if we made the photos better or worse for the tourists. Note and appreciate the beauty of you're surroundings, and the lack of concrete barriers.


After the the hike, catch the bus to the Tottori sand dunes. I had visited before in the winter-- but this was my first time in the summer. The views were amazing, but it felt more impressive in the winter. This time there were footprints everywhere and there was little to no breeze- compared to the windstorm and desolation of winter. The experience could have been made complete with camel rides from money hungry camel owners (to just take a picture cost 100Yen/1$). Here you run the chance of meeting Japanese people, but as they have largely come on group tours, you can maintain the illusion you are not in Japan.

Then, return to the beach, dance dance dance, wake up to music still going, laze on beach, etc. Illusion is shattered when separating garbage in complicated ways, and everyone does along with utter lack of garbage cans. Return home, shower and stand in your own mini-beach from all the sand that has collected. Remind self you are still in Japan, and you should not wear that sleeveless shirt in public... unless you're a man. But that's a different post.