Sakai Yume Minato Terminal
The Sakai Yume Minato Terminal is a fully functional passenger-ship terminal designed to accommodate ships up to 300 meters and 160,000 tons, which typically carry 5,000 passengers. Completed in 2020, the terminal has embarkation and debarkation facilities for international passengers, and is intended to be a gateway to the Japan Sea and Northeast Asia. It is also designed as a cultural center for residents of Sakaiminato and neighboring cities. The spacious, high-ceilinged waiting hall is equipped with large screens for film and video events, and can accommodate large crowds for concerts and other activities. The observation deck overlooking Miho Bay is an ideal place for greeting and sending off ships, and its unobstructed ocean view is used as a backdrop for a beer garden in the summer. The front of the terminal has a long, narrow garden with nine old black-pine trees (kuromatsu) brought from the surrounding region, with stones that attest to the creation myths of the region. For decades, Sakaiminato has developed its passenger-ship tourism, and now welcomes as many as 60 ships per year. Arriving passengers spend time enjoying local sights, and typically book day trips to Matsue and Izumo.