Ensuring safe travel in Kyoto by the seaーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS

Key Concepts

• Funaya: Traditional Japanese boat houses located along the waterfront, which serve as both homes and tourist attractions.
• Tsunami Risk: The primary natural disaster threat for coastal towns like Ine, with potential wave heights of up to 2 meters.
• Disaster Preparedness: The systematic approach to planning, training, and communicating safety protocols to both residents and tourists.
• Multilingual Communication: The critical challenge of providing emergency instructions in multiple languages to ensure non-Japanese speakers can evacuate safely.
• Evacuation Drills: Practical exercises conducted to test response times and identify communication gaps during a crisis.

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1. The Challenge of Tourism in Ine

Ine, a small town in Kyoto prefecture, has seen a surge in popularity due to its picturesque funaya (boat houses). This influx of tourists—many of whom are international visitors—has created a significant safety dilemma. Because the town’s economy and attractions are centered on the sea, the risk of tsunamis triggered by earthquakes poses a direct threat to both residents and visitors.

2. Vulnerability of Private Rentals

A major concern identified is the conversion of funaya into private tourist rentals. Unlike traditional inns that may have established disaster protocols, guests in private rentals are often left to navigate emergencies on their own.

• Risk Factor: These structures are located directly on the waterfront, placing them in the immediate path of potential 2-meter tsunami waves.
• Mitigation Strategy: Local and prefectural governments have collaborated to create standardized evacuation leaflets. These are placed in guest rooms alongside building-specific evacuation maps to ensure tourists know where to go without needing staff assistance.

3. Emergency Drills and Communication Barriers

The town has begun conducting emergency drills, including exercises on sightseeing boats that transport approximately 400,000 visitors annually.

• The "Communication Gap": During a recent drill, it was observed that tsunami warnings were broadcast only in Japanese. This led to confusion among international tourists who did not understand that an evacuation was underway.
• Key Insight: The exercise demonstrated that in a crisis, the two primary priorities are speed of communication and maintaining public calm. The reliance on English-speaking passengers to translate for others highlighted the urgent need for more robust, multilingual emergency systems.

4. Data and Trends

• Growth in Tourism: Overnight stays by foreign visitors in Ine have doubled from approximately 5,000 per year pre-pandemic to over 10,000 as of 2023.
• Demographic Challenge: Many of these visitors come from regions where they have never experienced major earthquakes or tsunamis, making them less prepared for the specific risks of the Japanese coastline.

5. Broader Regional Initiatives

While Ine is focusing on localized solutions, Kyoto City—a major tourist hub—has implemented more extensive infrastructure:

• Designated Evacuation Sites: Open spaces in high-traffic areas like Arashiyama and Gion have been officially designated as safe zones.
• Multilingual Signage: The city utilizes maps and signs in multiple languages to guide tourists.
• Community Involvement: Local merchants are volunteering to learn English-language evacuation assistance to better support international travelers.

6. Synthesis and Conclusion

The town of Ine and the broader Kyoto region are redefining "visitor-friendly" to include safety as a core component of the tourism experience. The transition from relying on Japanese-only warnings to implementing multilingual leaflets, evacuation maps, and inclusive drills is essential for protecting a growing international visitor population. The ultimate goal is to ensure that tourists feel safe and reassured, thereby sustaining the region's appeal while effectively managing the inherent risks of living and traveling in a disaster-prone environment. As noted by local officials, the objective is to address not only tsunami risks but also other potential emergencies, ensuring that safety information is accessible, clear, and actionable for everyone.