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Funaya at Ine – Expo 2025: Live to Travel, Travel to Live

Funaya (boathouse) at Ine

Ine’s funaya, or boathouses, have unique building structures that, if viewed from the ocean, give the illusion that they are floating on the sea. Visitors can explore this charming boathouse area while immersing themselves in its serene everyday atmosphere through guided walking tours, marine cabs, and e-bike tours. Since the town is a residential area, restaurants and other facilities are limited. Even so, the area is an excellent place to savor fresh seafood unique to the fishing village.

Local insights

My name is Shinji Inomoto, and I work for Kyoto by the Sea DMO, which is a company that implements initiatives aimed at providing better experiences for visitors from overseas, while prioritizing the protection of the local community.

Funaya (boathouse) at Ine and Expo 2025

The Ine boathouse experience provides opportunities for you to connect with the Japanese culture of cherishing the sea and living together, which relates to the Expo theme, "Saving Lives.”

Q1: How does this attraction bring tourists and locals together?

A: The boathouses are privately owned by local residents who live their everyday lives as usual. When visiting the boathouses for sightseeing or filming, we encourage visitors to be considerate of local residents and experience the town of "funaya coexisting with nature" as it is. In order to preserve the daily lives of the locals and provide a better experience for visitors, we have made agreements with some travel agencies to provide lectures to visitors in advance, encourage longer stays, and contribute to the local economy.

Q2: What kind of impressions have you got from visitors?

A: We've received numerous comments from both domestic and international visitors to the area expressing that they were very impressed and honored to have seen the traditional Japanese fishermen's houses and that it was a very intriguing area.

Q3: Any message for visitors planning to see Expo 2025?

A: Ine’s boathouses are located in a beautiful corner of a fishing village, boasting a unique landscape with houses built over the sea. The area isn't a theme park; it's a settlement where people continue to lead quiet lives. In this tranquil area of Ine, we would be delighted if visitors could come with the utmost respect and consideration to foster positive relationships with the local residents.

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