Extend your exploration of Japan’s rural landscape from Amanohashidate to Ine Bay (伊根湾)! Also known as Ine no Funaywa, the quiet Ine fishing village is located in the northern part of the Tango Peninsula (丹後半島). Along Ine Bay, where the waves are calm, a unique townscape is formed by the type of private houses called Funaya (舟屋). The special traditional Funaya houses make Ine Town one of our favorite small Japanese villages.
What to Do in Ine Kyoto Japan
- Explore Ine Bay and Amanohashidate With a Guided Tour
- Discounted Transportation Tickets to Discover Amanohashidate and Ine Bay
- What Is a Funaya no Funaya (舟屋)
- Ine Bay Sightseeing Ferry (伊根湾めぐり遊覧船) and Sea Taxi (海上タクシー)
- Roadside Station Funayano-Sato Ine (道の駅 舟屋の里伊根)
- Miyabi Ine Boathouse (伊根の舟屋 雅)
- Cycling the Ine Town and the Surrounding Coastal Lines
- Honjō Beach Sea Kayaking (本庄浜カヤック)
- Staying Overnight at Ine
- How to Get to Ine Bay by Public Transport
Tip: While the choices are limited, Nagisa (伊根なぎさ) is a spot where you can have a vegan lunch in Ine Bay.
Explore Ine Bay and Amanohashidate With a Guided Tour
If you prefer a guide to introduce you to the charms of Amanohashidate and Ine Bay, how about joining one of the following tours?
- The Recommended Tours Bookable Through Viator
- Miyama Thatched Village, Ine Bay & Amanohashidate Tour from Osaka
- Amanohashidate & Ine Funaya 1-Day Tour from Osaka or Kyoto
Discounted Transportation Tickets to Discover Amanohashidate and Ine Bay
If you plan to visit both Amanohashidate and Ine Village, consider purchasing one of the passes to save on transportation and admission fees for the cable car/lifts and Ine Bay Sightseeing Boat. Below are the two passes that have the highest CP value if you plan to explore most attractions in the area.
HERE is the link to other passes for Ine and Amanohashidate (at the end of the webpage).
What Is a Funaya (舟屋)
For centuries, most of Ine’s population earned their living by fishing. Thus, the houses were built on the shore.
The lower level is a ship hangar where boats/ships are parked (the 1st photo in the IG post). It is also where the fishermen perform any necessary fish handling and boat repair.
Because the boats were made of wood, leaving them in the water meant the wood would rot at a faster pace. Instead of building the houses above the water, where boats can easily be parked, a concrete hangar was constructed. While it requires effort to pull the heavy vessels out of the water, it prolongs their lives.
Ine Bay Sightseeing Ferry (伊根湾めぐり遊覧船) and Sea Taxi (海上タクシー)
At Ine village, approximately 230 Funayas lined the Ine Bay. They are private residential properties, and most of them are. As the town has two main bay areas, if you want to see all of the Funayas in one go, consider taking either the Ine Bay Sightseeing Boat or hiring a Sea Taxi. Seeing this unique township from the sea is another way to enjoy the quaint little town in Kyoto’s rural area.
For more information, refer to our Ine Bay Sightseeing Boat article!
Roadside Station Funayanosato Ine (道の駅 舟屋の里伊根)
From the Ine no Funaya area, if you trek up the hill, you will be at the Roadside Station Funayanosato Ine in 20 minutes. The view of the Ine Bay and the Funaya houses is absolutely stunning from here.
For more information, refer to our article on the Roadside Station Funayanosato Ine!
Miyabi Ine Boathouse (伊根の舟屋 雅)
Miyabi Ine Boathouse is one of the places in town where you can see the interior of a Ine no Funaya.
Renovated from a Funaya, it is now a Japanese-style cafe on the first floor. If the weather is warm, outdoor seats are available to chill as you observe Ine Bay’s astonishing view. The cafe is filled with delicious Japanese desserts that will certainly entertain your taste buds (^_-)-☆.
If you are looking for somewhere to stay overnight in town, you can book a room on their second floor to have a feel of what it would be like living in one of these unique houses. For more information about staying at Miyabi Ine Boathouse, please refer to Ine Town’s website HERE.
Important:
☛ Please note that no dinner will be served. If you want to have breakfast at Miyabi Ine Boathouse, a separate reservation is required.
☛ The breakfast at Miyabi Ine Boathouse isn’t vegan/vegetarian-friendly.
Miyabi Ine Boathouse’s Business Hours and Access Information
- The cafe on the first floor is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily, but may close on Thursdays.
- The boathouse is a 5-minute walk from the bus stop, Ine (伊根).
Cycling the Ine Village and the Surrounding Coastal Lines
If you are adventurous and love cycling, you can rent one of the e-BIKEs from Ine-chō Information Center and cycle along the coastal line to enjoy the magnificent Sea of Japan scenery!
For example, the Kamaya Coast (カマヤ海岸) in the Instagram post is one of the most popular spots that attracts many people across the country when they visit rural Kyoto.
Please click HERE for more information about the e-bike, including rental costs and payment options.
If you would like to get some guidance around the area, consider booking one of the e-BIKE Cycling Guided Tours, where your guide will share the town’s history and a few fun facts. You will be guided through the Funaya and cycle along the hilly roads for wonderful views from various parts of Ine Bay.
For more information, including the itinerary and cost, please refer to their website HERE.
Important: If you aren’t planning to cycle for the whole day or are happy with the non-electric assisted bicycles, there are free tourism bikes that you can rent at one of the five bicycle ports in Ine. HERE is the map of where those five ports are. Please be aware that you can’t reserve these bikes.
Honjō Beach Sea Kayaking (本庄浜カヤック)
From mid-April until the end of September, when the temperature isn’t cold in Ine village, you can sea kayak your way to explore the caves underneath the cliffs along the coastal line while admiring some of the most scenic landscapes in the area.
For more information about the activity and to book, please refer to the official website HERE.
Ine Funaya Accommodation
One of the ways that you can explore the interior of the Ine no Funaya is by staying overnight at one of the inns. HERE is a list of the accommodations available in town (note, not all of them are Funayas). What you need to watch out for is that many of them don’t provide dinner or breakfast. No vegetarian dishes are served in the restaurants in Ine, so it is best to bring your own food if you are a vegetarian or vegan.
That said, some inns, such as Ine Stay Tokiwa (伊根ステイ ときわ), offer microwaves, fridges, and kettles for use, allowing you to prepare instant meals. A few of them, such as WATERFRONT INN Yosasou (与謝荘), may also be able to cater to special dietary requests, but please check with them before you make a booking.
Tip: Since many accommodations are difficult to book, if you don’t read/speak Japanese, you can contact the Ine Tourist Information Center by submitting a web form HERE. They should be able to make a booking on your behalf.
How to Get to Ine Bay by Public Transport
To get from Kyoto to Ine Bay, there are a couple of places where you can take the Tankai Bus in Amanohashidate. Your boarding stop will differ depending on whether you are heading to Ine Bay first or after exploring Amanohashidate. HERE is the bus timetable for you to plan ahead.
You can also head straight to Ine Bay from Kyoto Tango Railway’s (京都丹後鉄道) Miyazu Station (宮津駅) by taking the Ine Line (伊根線).
If you plan to visit Ine Bay first, the bus stop is just in front of Amanohashidate Station. You can refer to the photo on the left.
Tip: The bus can be packed when it reaches the Amanohashidate Cable-shita (天橋立ケーブル下). Head to the stop before Amanohashidate Motoise Kono-jinja Shrine (天橋立元伊勢籠神社) for a higher chance of getting a seat. Our experience is that there are always seats if you board the bus from Amanohashidate Station (天橋立駅). The bus stop is just in front of the station.
Which Bus Stop to Get off at Ine Town
- If you plan to take the Ine Bay Sightseeing Ferry/Sea Taxi, then get off at Inewanmeguri Hide (伊根湾めぐり ・ 日出).
- If you plan to just stroll around the town, then get off at Ine (伊根).
- If you have more time to spend in Ine Bay, consider getting off at Michinoeki Funayanosato Ine (道の駅 舟屋の里伊根) for a panoramic view of Ine Bay and Funaya houses from a high hill, then walk back down to the town center.
From Osaka to Ine Fishing Village by Public Transport
To get to Ine village from Osaka, you need to get to Amanohashidate first. Refer to our article on The Best Ways to Get to Amanohashidate from Osaka and Kyoto. From Amanohashidate, take a bus to Ine Bay.
Visit Amanohashidate for One of the Three Views of Japan
If you haven’t visited Amanohashidate for its celebrated view, you should definitely do so when coming to Miyazu!
Check out our article on Amanohashidate to find out what to do in this destination that boasts as one of Japan’s Three Views and why people are bending down on the observatory. You will also learn how the 5,000 pine trees can grow on the 3.6 km sandbar surrounded by seawater!
