Tottori Prefecture has signed a unique cooperation agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, forming the second international partnership under the "Sand Alliance" initiative. The alliance builds on an earlier agreement between Tottori and the Jordan Pavilion, with all three participants connected by sand-themed exhibitions.
Tottori is the only regional government exhibiting independently at the Expo and has created the “Tottori Prefecture Zone” within the Kansai Pavilion. Its central feature is the “Tottori Infinite Sand Dunes,” which uses 10 tons of actual sand from the prefecture’s famous dunes to create an immersive experience. Visitors explore the sand with magnifying glass-shaped devices that reveal attractions and cultural highlights from Tottori.
The Saudi Arabia Pavilion, one of the largest at the Expo, explores the Kingdom's evolving cities, innovation, and sustainable development goals through interactive experiences and cultural displays. During his visit to the Tottori exhibit, Saudi Ambassador to Japan Ghazi Faisal Es Binzagur remarked on the similarity of the dunes' textures and emphasized the symbolic nature of finding opportunity in a single grain of sand. Governor Shinji Hirai responded by praising the meaningful connection made through the Expo.
At a signing ceremony on May 7th, both sides pledged to strengthen cultural exchange and promote their respective sand-related exhibits. The event concluded with a gift exchange: Tottori provided local souvenirs including anime character merchandise and dune sand, while Saudi Arabia offered floral-scented candles.
With this agreement, Tottori Prefecture expands its sand diplomacy efforts and establishes the only regional-level multi-national alliance of its kind at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, using sand as a shared medium for cross-cultural understanding.
