Abstract: The Tottori Sand Dune is one of the most famous sand dunes in Japan. As a precious natural resource, the dunes are used and developed by people for many years. The Arid Land Research Center has been built in Tottori for researches about the Tottori Sand Dune, in order to solve the problems of arid deserts in not only Japan but also other countries including China. The planting of macrostem onions has brought both economic benefits and environmental benefits. At the same time, the Tottori Sand Dune is also a famous tourist attraction which is protected as a rare desert in Japan.

Key words: the Tottori Sand Dune, research and utilization, macrostem onion, the Arid Land Research Center of Tottori