The Ine area, where Funaya are located, is surrounded by mountains on the north, west, and east, creating a terrain that blocks the seasonal winds from the
Sea of Japan and Funaya form a settlement along the coastline of Ine Bay, extending in a strip for about 5 kilometers. The mountains are composed of tough rocky formations, and their steep slopes continue down to the sea, resulting in a rapid increase in water depth and forming a topography that is less prone to wave formation. As a result, the flatland of Ine-ura is very narrow, and it is on this small expanse of land that the settlement of Ine-ura has been formed. Ine Bay faces south, which makes it less susceptible to rough waves from the Sea of Japan. In the middle of the bay's entrance, there are two islands, big and small called Aoshima with a combined area of approximately 5 hectares. It divides the entrance of the bay, serving as a breakwater and providing protection for Ine Bay. Therefore, the bay has calm waters and is known for its tranquil sea. Furthermore, the tidal range in Ine Bay is small, with an average annual tidal difference of about 50 cm.
Funaya The current Funaya is a wooden building where the first floor is used as a boat storage area, and the second floor serves as a living space. Originally, Funaya were single-story warehouse structures designed as storage spaces for fishing boats and equipment, not intended for human habitation. The original Funaya had
thatched roofs, either with straw or reed, and the construction materials were sourced from the nearby mountains using timber. The beams of the Funaya were made from logs of
pine or
chestnut, while the foundation and pillars were constructed using water-resistant Japanese chinquapin wood. The surroundings of the Funaya were often simple enclosures made with old shipboards or hanging straw ropes. Inside theFunaya, small fishing boats were stored and the width of the Funaya entrance was referred to as "two-boat-width" or "three-boat-width" depending on whether it could accommodate two or three boats. In the late
Edo period, semi-two-story Funaya started to appear, and during the
Taisho period, tiled roofs and two-story Funaya began to appear. The roads passing through the Funaya settlements were originally very narrow alleyways that were only wide enough for people to pass through, as they served as the central courtyard-like space between the main house and the Funaya. Because the primary means of transportation between settlements was mainly by boat, and the central courtyard-like space naturally formed a pathway (alleyway) for moving between neighboring areas. The road that currently passes through the settlement is the Kyoto Prefectural Ine Port Line, which underwent expansion works between 1931 and 1940. It was widened from the original narrow alleyways and transformed into a road spanning approximately 5 kilometers in length with a width of about 4 meters. Due to the lack of land for road expansion, the sea was reclaimed and the Funaya was moved to that area and during this process, many Funaya transformed into two-story structures. The foundations of old Funaya were traditionally built with two or three tiers of granite stones, while the foundations of current Funaya are made of concrete. Some Funaya have been modified with stone walls to seal the openings on the seaside, preventing the intrusion of seawater. The reason for this is that boats have become larger, and it is no longer possible to fit them on the first floor of the Funaya. Consequently, the first floor is no longer used as a storage warehouse for boats. Additionally, there has been an increase in the installation of windows and other openings on the second floor as they are utilized for residential purposes. Furthermore, there is a growing number of Funaya that, while retaining their exterior as Funaya, are being converted into accommodations or restaurants, serving purposes other than their original use. File:Funaya in Ine Town, Yosa District, Kyoto Prefecture 001.jpg|The Funaya built on the small stretch of flat land between the steep mountains and the sea. File:Funaya in Ine Town, Yosa District, Kyoto Prefecture 003.jpg|The Funaya that seem to float on the sea. File:Funaya in Ine Town, Yosa District, Kyoto Prefecture 006.jpg|Boats stored in the Funaya. File:Ineura townscape 2017-04 ac (3).jpg|The roads and town layout of the present-day Ine-ura settlement File:Funaya in Ine Town, Yosa District, Kyoto Prefecture 005.jpg|The third Funaya from the right is an old type Funaya. The other Funaya have been converted into residential dwellings. == Citations ==