"Ineura" Boathouses in Kyoto Prefecture

"Ineura" is an old fishing village located about 30 minutes by bus from Amanohashidate, where one of "Three Most Scenic Spots of Japan".

Please refer the page of "Amanohashidate":
 http://cf916626.cloudfree.jp/HandE_Japan/TravelDestinations/Kansai/AmanoHashidate_E.html

The name of "Ine" was first recorded in documents in 1191, at the beginning of the Kamakura Age(1185 - 1333), and it appears that a settlement was formed during the Muromachi Age (1336 - 1573).

A distinctive feature of the "Ine" village are the group of "Funaya Houses", boathouses, lined along the inlet. The gabled buildings are built with a gable facing the sea, and the first floor is open so that boats can be pulled into the first floor in directly from the water.

After cycling across Amanohashidate, I left my rented bicycle at Kago Shrine at the northern end of Amanohashidate and headed to "Ineura" by bus.

After leaving Kago Shrine and riding for a while, the bus began to run along the coast of Miyazu Bay. The waves in Miyazu Bay were calm.

There are resort hotels along the bus route, and it appears there are also tourist hotels on the opposite shore.

As the bus approached "Ineura", the fishing port came into view, and further on, an inlet appeared. The village of "Ineura" is on the other side of the cape further ahead, but the dock for sightseeing boats that tour "Ine Bay" is located in this inlet.

This is a sightseeing boat moored at the dock.

"Ineura" is known for the group of boathouses that face the inlet. I thought the boathouses could be better seen from the sea than from land, so my main purpose in "Ineura" was to ride this sightseeing boat.

As the tourist boat set sail for its tour of Ine Bay, numerous seagulls and kites followed behind the boat.

Bird food is sold on board, and many tourists likely buy it to feed the birds. The birds followed us all the way.

After setting sail, we came into view of a group of boathouses. These boathouses are located in the inlet just before the main Ine Bay.

The sight of so many boathouses lined up facing the sea is truly impressive. As expected, the structure of the boathouses is also clearly visible.

After passing a small cape, the inlet of Ine Bay came into view. Here too, boathouses are lined up along the inlet.

The photo above shows boathouses along the coast on the east side of Ine Bay. The boathouses are lined up along the narrow, flat coastline where the mountains drop into the sea.

You will clearly see the boathouses on the first floor. It seems that as ships have gotten larger recently, the number of boathouses able to moor them has been decreasing.

This is the center of "Ineura", the very back of Ine Bay. The tourist boat circled Ine Bay counterclockwise, passing by the row of boathouses along the coast. The photos below show a group of boathouses on the west side of Ine Bay.

Here too, boathouses built between steep mountains and the sea line the coastline.

The group of boathouses in "Ineura" retains the townscape of an old fishing village from the late Edo Age (1603 - 1868). In 2005, it was designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.

There are 113 boathouses eligible for preservation, and the total number of buildings eligible for preservation is 460. This number is second highest number after the Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in Imai Town, Nara Prefecture.

A road runs parallel to the coastline behind the boathouses, and the main house is located on the other side of the road. The main house is used as a residence, and the boathouses are apparently used for purposes other than fishing, such as housing for couples and children.

The sightseeing boat ride was only about 20 minutes. The time flew by and it was a very fulfilling trip.

After enjoying the sightseeing boat trip around "Ineura", I walked around the village of "Ineura". It takes three bus stops from the sightseeing boat dock to the center of "Ineura". I got off at the second bus stop and walked around the village of "Ineura".

The boathouse is on the right in the photo below, and the main house across the road is shown in the below left photo.

When viewed from the street, the doors of the boathouses on the first floor were closed, making it difficult to see its distinctive appearance. Finally, I found a boathouse with the door open on the first floor and I happened to see the boathouse structure.

After walking for about five minutes through the quiet fishing village, I arrived in the center of "Ineura". Here, I was able to access the coastline.

The boathouse-style buildings lined up on both sides made for a spectacular view.

A view of the calm waters of Ine Bay.

Although my trip to "Ineura" this time only involved strolling around a small part of the Ine settlement, it was still a very memorable experience.

Ineura is a quiet place, but recently the number of tourists has increased, and it seems that there have been some incidents of people entering the boathouses without permission. It is important to stroll around without trespassing on other people's property and to protect the quiet environment.

How to get there
From Tokyo, take a "Nozomi" on the Tokaido Shinkansen, to Kyoto. Take a Limited Express "Hashidate" from Kyoto to Amanohashidate. From Osaka, take a Limited Express "Konotori" to Fukuchiyama and change to "Hashidate". Take a bus from Amanohashidate Station to "Ineura". The bus runs through Kago Shrine.

Other Historical Sites near by:
Amanohashidate
Kaya Town
Yuhigaura Hotspring
Maizuru
Miyazu
Ruins of Fukuchiyama Castle

Go to the top page of "Historical and Exotic Japan":
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Home Page in Japanese: "Shane's HomePage"
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