Uradome Coast

What?
The Uradome Coastline (浦富海岸) is part of the protected Sanin Coast Geopark (山陰海岸ジオパーク) along the Sea of Japan. Three type of boats sail along the cliffs and islands depending on the season. There is also a beautiful walking route along the shore which gives you perfect views over the many cliffs and caves as well as lead you to secluded beaches.
Where?
Located east of Tottori in the prefecture with the same name, the boarding point for the boats is s 40 minute bus ride from Tottori Station (Iwai-line 岩井線, platform 4, 620 yen). Get off at the Shimameguri-yuransen-noriba-mae stop (島めぐり遊覧船のりば前). It’s a unnecessarily long name for a bus stop, but if you ask the driver for the “Shimameguri stop”, he will surely let you know. From here boats depart every hour. The coastline walking course is a fifteen minute walk from the boarding point, so you can leisurely take a meal here and stock up on water and get on your way.
URL
Iwami Tourism Uradome Pleasure Boat

There are people who prefer the mountains and those who long for the sea. If you give me the choice between mountains and beaches I will pick the highlands 9 out of 10 times. But the beach is not the same as the shoreline.
Just like with the mountains, I really can’t get enough of Japan’s rugged coastline. A lot of Japan’s coastline is littered with tetrapods which are sometimes mysteriously charming but most of the time just plain ugly. The parts that are protected by steep cliffs and a myriad of small islands carved out by wave after wave after wave are simply breathtaking though.
I have seldom been disappointed by a cruise or walk along these shorelines.

The same here with the Uradome Coastline which is one of the more beautiful I have already seen.
I first took a cruise along the coast. The sea was fairly calm, but not calm enough yet for the smaller boats which zigzag through many of the islands and rock formations. They will only start sailing out from May. So I just sat back and enjoyed the view from a bit more out to sea, swaying on the gentle yet fairly high waves. For me this is really relaxing. You can run around the boat for the best spot to take pictures, but it’s swaying anyway so I just take high shutter speed shots a few times and for the rest I let my eyes wander.

I wasn't even a kilometer from the starting point.

This scene had something of a beautiful mountain peak.

A part through the forest.

There were a billion of these arches along the shore.

The boat is a nice way to get a complete picture of the coast and to learn a bit more - depending on the guide - but for the best views and moments of awe you need to get walking. There is nice and fairly easy coastal trail along the Uradome Coastline. It’s beautiful all. The. Way.
I had to force myself to keep on walking as around every corner and hook, the vista was so impressive that I couldn’t stop taking photos. There is a lot of variation too. Small stretches through wooded areas, viewpoints on top of cliffs, 180 degrees panoramas and white sandy beaches.
At one point a bridge of merely 5 meters collapsed which meant either climbing the rocks or swimming the sea. For elderly people or families with kids this would mean the end of the road so I dearly hope the authorities fix it quickly. I climbed my way over the broken overpass and eventually ended on a prefectural paved autoroute. From here you can choose to continue this main road or to pass through a small coastal town. It’s the same either way. The small town route lets you see the rural fishing village life while the main road has continuously nice views of said town with its pitch blacks roofs and the sea beyond. Either route ends at a small shrine and two beaches. From here you can continue for another hour towards Higashihama Station (東浜駅) and get some more views along the way, or you can do like I did and head for Iwami Station (岩美駅) which is a 30 minute walk inland.

The Uradome Coastline is an absolutely beautiful stretch of land and I can highly recommend it should you be in the neighborhood.