We will introduce the beautiful scenery of ``Kyoto by the Sea'' in northern Kyoto Prefecture, a place full of charm that is still unknown to Kyoto. This time we will be visiting Ine Funaya, which is known as the Venice of Japan. The town, where the buildings look like they are floating on the sea, is breathtakingly beautiful, and the peaceful atmosphere will refresh your mind and body. To get to Kyoto by the Sea, we recommend using the Kyoto Tango Railway's express train ``Tango Umi,'' which connects Kyoto City to the Tango area, or the sightseeing train.
A town where you can encounter scenery you've never seen before.
``Ine Funaya'' is called the Venice of Japan.


``Ine's Funaya'' are lined up neatly on the calm sea. Tourists from all over the world come here.
If you take the Tankai bus or car from Amanohashidate for about 30 minutes, you will come across a landscape that will surprise you and make you wonder how many beautiful landscapes there are in Japan. This is the ``Ine Funaya'' area, where about 5 buildings are lined up in a 230km area overlooking Ine Bay that looks like they are floating on the sea. Due to the large protruding peninsula and Aoshima Island floating in the bay, which acted as a breakwater, the bay was very calm and an ideal environment for fishing. This is truly a city that has evolved to live in harmony with the sea.


A boat used in the Ine Festival held every July. This festival, which prays for safety at sea and good catches, is also called the ``Gion Festival of the Sea.''


What you can see on the left is Aoshima floating in Ine Bay. Young people take boats to Aoshima during the Ine Festival.


It's fun to stroll through the quaint townscape.
The first floor of the boat house is a garage for the boat, and the second floor is a living room. The floating house has a traditional building structure made of wood that is resistant to seawater, and is currently designated as a nationally important preservation district for groups of traditional buildings.
In the past, Ine was very wealthy due to the large catch of yellowtail. It is said that the wealth brought by the large catch led to the construction of many houses and temples all at once, giving rise to the unified and beautiful townscape of Ine. Ine yellowtail is still famous today, and other fish such as horse mackerel, red sea bream, and sea bass are also caught. However, the number of households that make a living solely from fishing is decreasing.
However, in recent years, the beautiful scenery of Ine Town has become known around the world through social media, and before the coronavirus, tourists from various countries flocked to the town. Therefore, the boathouse was converted into a rental inn, a restaurant and a cafe were built, and it was reborn as a space that tourists could enjoy, which became an opportunity to restore vibrancy to the town.
If you stand by the window on the first floor of a boathouse, you will see a small cove with quiet ripples in front of you. It's so close to the ocean that you get the illusion that you're one with the cove. This is a truly beautiful town where you can have the experience of enriching your soul just by looking at the ocean.


Fuga is an inn with an open-air hot spring bath. Limited to one group per building.




Kagiya is an inn that is limited to one group per day. You can enjoy seasonal fish caught in Ine Bay.


Ine Town tourism exchange facility "Funaya Biyori".




``Funaya Biyori'' includes ``INE CAFÉ'' and sushi restaurant ``Uminomiya WADATSUMI.'' The photo is the lunch set ``Wadatsumi Sushi Gozen'' from ``Umigu'', priced at 3,300 yen.
Ine Town Tourism Association
491 Hirata, Ine-cho, Yosa-gun, Kyoto Prefecture
Kyoto by the Sea is a bit of a journey from Kyoto City, but it is full of mystical views created by nature. Just gazing at the scent of the ocean, the murmuring of the waves, and the swaying of the trees will calm your mind and give you energy for tomorrow. Why not take a trip to discover the new charms of Kyoto?
photography by Natsuko Okada
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