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People visit Tottori Sand Dunes on August 27, 2019 in Tottori, Japan. The Tottori Sand Dunes form the only large dune system in Japan and were created by sediment deposits carried by the Sendai River into the Sea of Japan. Sea currents and wind brought the sand from the sea floor to the shore, where the wind constantly rearranges the shape. The dunes have existed for over 100,000 years but are now decreasing due to a post-war government reforestation program and concrete barriers erected to protect the coast from tsunamis which have disrupted the currents responsible for bringing the sand to shore. Although authorities have begun measures to protect the dunes, including dumping sand off the shore in the hope that it will wash ashore, as well as employing the manual removal of encroaching grassy areas, the result is as yet unclear. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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