Amidst the French Revolution's turmoil, a young Napoleon, suppressing Paris riots, emerged as a hero. The sand sculpture highlights his glory and profound influence on the French nation.
Nestled at the edge of Tottori’s sweeping sand dunes stands a one-of-a-kind attraction: The Sand Museum ⭐. First introduced with open-air displays in 2006, it evolved into the world’s first permanent indoor sand art museum by 2012. Inside, visitors are greeted by towering, intricate sculptures—all made entirely of sand—crafted by master artists from around the globe. With its ever-changing exhibits and breathtaking craftsmanship, the museum transforms the ephemeral nature of sand into a powerful artistic experience. A quiet marvel amid the desert-like landscape.
Soleil II: A Magical Dance of Light and Sand (YouTube link)
Echoes of France: A Sand Sculpture Journey (YouTube link)
Photo Gallery
In December 2024, we spent two memorable days at the Tottori Sand Museum, where awe-inspiring sand sculptures crafted by artists from around the globe took center stage. Each year, the exhibition embraces a new cultural theme—in the past, it’s brought to life the essence of places like the UK, Italy, and Central Europe. That winter, the spotlight was on France, captured in intricate, fleeting detail entirely out of sand.
Parisian Views: The Seine River showcases the domed courthouse and Conciergerie on its Left Bank, with the Musée d'Orsay on the Right. The Pont des Changes is in the foreground.
The Genesis of France: Clovis, King of the Franks
The Hundred Years' War, a conflict over succession and territory between France and England, lasted from 1339 to 1453
Joan of Arc, a 16-year-old village girl, received a divine oracle near the end of the Hundred Years' War and advised King Charles VII of France, leading his nation to victory
Louis XIV, the "Sun King," brought French Absolutism to its peak during his 72-year reign
French Revolution
The Bacchus Fountain, one of Versailles' 1,400 garden fountains, features the Roman wine god Bacchus amidst curving Rococo reliefs.
Published in 1862, Victor Hugo's novel "Les Misérables" centers on Jean Valjean, a former prisoner. Initially resentful of society, he is transformed by unconditional love and leads an eventful life dedicated to helping others. The work delicately depicts the lives and expressions of people navigating the unsettled social conditions, including revolution and war, of the early 19th century.
Coronation of Napoleon
Sand Sculptors: David Ducharme (Canada) & Susanne Ruseler (Netherlands) for "Coronation of Napoleon"
The Belle Époque: Europe's "Beautiful Era" (1871-1914)
Sand Sculptor: Sue McGrew (USA) for "Belle Époque"
France: a Sightseeing Paradise
Sand Sculptor: Benoit Dutherage (France) for "France: a Sightseeing Paradise"
"The Hunchback of Notre Dame," is a novel published by Victor Hugo in 1983. The year is 1482. Quasimodo, a bell-ringer at Notre Dame Cathedral, is looked at strangely because of his spine. When he meets Esmeralda, a beautiful gypsy dancer, he falls in love with her and learns of human kindness for the first time. However, because she became intimate with the handsome captain of the Royal Guards, she was falsely accused and put on trial for witchcraft. Quasimodo hides Esmeralda in the bell tower of the cathedral, but in spite of her resistance, she is executed and the story comes to a sad end.
French Fashion: Simple shapes symbolize France's cutting-edge fashion culture,
A Quiet Day in a Berlin Park, 1933 In the early 1930s, Takehisa Yumeji's studio became a hub for artists, inspiring ventures like the Mt. Haruna Art Research Institute. In 1931, Yumeji began a journey to the United States and Europe, supported by exhibitions of his work. While in the U.S. for 16 months, he continued to paint, creating pieces like Nude on the West Coast. Afterward, Yumeji taught in Berlin until the school was closed by the Nazis. He returned to Japan in 1933, his overseas experiences shaping his final works. His last exhibition was held in Taipei that year. Yumeji passed away from tuberculosis in 1934, leaving behind a legacy of beauty and cultural exchange. Read more: Prints in Collection—Takehisa Yumeji (1884-1934) Kuronosuke 黒の助: a Legacy Little Black Cat (YouTube link ) Photo Gallery The Yumeji Art Museum in Okayama exhibits many black cat paintings because the artist, Yumeji Takehisa , frequently featured them in his work, particularly in his bij...
This is a passageway leading to Nankai-Namba Station. Be aware that underground passages in Japan can be quite complex for visitors. When you arrive at Kansai International Airport (symbol: KIX) and try to reach your destinations via trains, sometimes you need to make connections at Namba Station (see Fig. 2). Namba Station is one of the main connection points (the other two are Umeda and Tennoji Stations). But, Namba Station actually means 4 different stations on Google map (see Fig. 3&4) : Namba Station (Subway): This station provides access to the Osaka Metro lines: Midosuji (see Fig. 4), Sennichimae , and Yotsubashi . These lines can take you to popular destinations like Osaka Station, Koreatown, Honmachi, and Nippombashi. JR-Namba Station: This smaller station has only four tracks and two platforms. It's located within the Osaka City Air Terminal (OCAT) building, and the entrance can be easy to miss. Thankfully, it's connected to the ...
Koyasan (高野山), a popular pilgrimage destination for centuries, has been connected to the outside world by a network of pilgrimage trails. While most visitors enter the mountain by cable car nowadays, many of the pilgrimage trails still remain in use. Koyasan Travel—Temple Lodging (Shukubo; YouTube link ) Part of the pilgrimage trails, the Fudozaka Trail (不動坂; click the map to enlarge), leads to Koyasan from Gokurakubashi Station, the lower station of the Koyasan Cablecar. The steep, paved trail is 2.5 kilometers long and takes about an hour to ascend and less time to descend. The trail ends at the Nyonindo temple (女人堂). [1] On 11/27/2016, I have decided to descend from Fudozaka Trail instead of riding the cable car. I was the only person on the trail at beginning. However, in the middle of the trail, another young blonde girl passed me by swiftly with a big smile on her face. I was really surprised to see another soul on that rainy day. Althoug...
