Funabashi

Japan · Asia

About Funabashi

Funabashi (船橋市, Funabashi-shi) is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 December 2020, the city had an estimated population of 644,668 in 309,238 households and a population density of 7,500 inhabitants per square kilometre (19,000/sq mi). The total area of the city is 85.62 square kilometres (33.06 sq mi). It is the Greater Tokyo Area's 7th most populated city (after passing Kawaguchi, Hachioji and Chiba), and second largest in Chiba Prefecture.

Funabashi is located in northwestern Chiba Prefecture approximately 20 kilometers in either direction from the prefectural capital at Chiba and downtown Tokyo. The central area forms a flat diluvial upland of the Shimōsa Plateau. The city sits at an elevation of 20 to 30 meters above sea level, and is relatively flat. The highest point is 32.3 meters in Narashino 3-chome, and the lowest point is 0.2 meters in Minatomachi 1-chome. Funabashi is crossed by the Tone River, and the small Ebi River is located entirely within city limits. Funabashi formerly had wide, shallow beaches, but much of the coast has been industrialized and transformed by reclaimed land. The city extends for 13.86 kilometers east–west and 14.95...

Funabashi travel guide

Understand

Tourist office 1 Funabashi Tourist Association, Funabashi City hall 1-19-7 Minatocho, ☏ +81 47-436-2473, fax: +81 47-436-2466. M-F 09:00-17:00.

Tourist information sites Funabashi Style is the city's official multilingual guide site. The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

Getting there

By plane Keikyu Bus has direct bus services from Tokyo Haneda Airport to both Funabashi and Nishi-Funabashi stations, which (traffic and schedules permitting) are faster and easier than taking connecting trains. Services run hourly, take about an hour and cost ¥1,400. IC cards accepted.

By train The main stations are 1 JR Funabashi on the JR Sobu line from Tokyo, adjacent to Keisei-Funabashi (which has direct services from Tokyo Narita Airport), and 2 Nishi-Funabashi, terminus of the perennially packed Tozai Line subway from Tokyo. The Tokyo Disney Resort's Maihama station is only 13 min away from Nishi-Funabashi on the JR Keiyō line.

See

1 Funabashi Sanbanse seaside park (ふなばし三番瀬海浜公園), 40 Shiomicho (from Funabashi Station Take a bus), ☏ +81 47-435-0828. 2 Funassyi Park (ふなっしーパーク), 40 Shiomicho. Funassyi-themed children's playground.

Do

Incredibly, the city has two racecourses: Nakayama allows betting on weekends and Funabashi on weekdays.

1 Nakayama Horse Race Course (中山競馬場), 1-1-1 Kosakucho (JR Musashino Line take Funabashi-Hoten Station.), ☏ +81 7-334-2222. One of the four major JRA racecources. Famous for Arima Kinen, the highest betting horserace in the world and the Nakayama Grand Jump, Japan's premier steeplechase races. Adults ¥200 (meeting day only). 2 Funabashi Racecourse (船橋競馬場), 1-2-1 Wakamatsu, Funabashi. NAR racecourse run by Chiba Prefecture. Meet on weekdays. ¥100 (meeting day only). (updated Feb 2024)

Buy

Funabashi is known for its big-box shopping: it's home to Japan's first IKEA and many more.

1 LaLaport Tokyo-Bay (ららぽーとTOKYO-BAY), 2-1-1 Hamacho (near Minami-Funabashi station; route buses bound for Keisei Funabashi Station, JR Minami-Funabashi Station and JR Tsudanuma Station are available), ☏ +81 47-433-9800. One of Japan's largest shopping malls, it features 2 department stores and 440 shops. (updated Jan 2026) 2 Tōbu department store Funabashi (東武百貨店船橋店), 7-1-1 Honcho, ☏ +81 47-425-2211. 10:00-19:30.

Eat

1 Nanpudo (南風堂) (near Nishi-Funabashi stn North exit). M Tu 12:00-02:00, W Th 08:00-02:00, F Sa 08:00-06:00, Su 08:00-02:00. Resembling the laboratory of a mad Victorian scientist, this wood-paneled fever dream is packed with ancient-looking distilling equipment and other steampunky bric-a-brac. Serves up the standard Japanese coffee shop menu of pizza toast, pastas, curry rice and the like. Open very late (06:00 on F Sa nights) and also has an extensive bar menu. Meals from ¥700. (updated Jan 2026)

Drink & nightlife

HUB, 4-4-50 Honcho, ☏ +81 47-460-8682. 17:00-01:00.

Sleep

Pick carefully: Funabashi has more than its fair share of love hotels.

JR East Hotel Mets Funabashi. Opened 2018, this modern business hotel is a cut above the competition and is directly connected to JR Funabashi station. From ¥15,000. (updated Sep 2025)

Go next

Ichikawa Urayasu Narashino Kamagaya Yachiyo Shiroi Sakura Inzai Yatsukaido

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.