Historical Library

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Amazake, hot sweet sake, is a popular drink in winter in the present days though it was sold regardless of the seasons in the Edo period. Even in hot summer, many people enjoyed hot Amazake in the cool evening breeze on the Shinsaibashi Bridge. Amazake stand was commonly seen on the bridge; under the bridge, there was a Funaikesu, a boat restaurant.

"Settsu Meisho Zue Taisei" Akatsuki Kanenari, in the end of Edo (1853 - 1867)

Funaikesu in Osaka

Funaikesu which served dishes of fresh water fish from the river, was one of the most popular summer night attractions in Osaka. Inside the Funaikesu, sitting area was usually partitioned off for two or three tatami mats, but it can be stretched depending on the number of customers..
In Kyoto where summer is as hot and humid as Osaka, people enjoyed dining in cool breeze in Kawadoko, a riverbank restaurant, by Kamo River. Unlike Kyoto, the riverbanks were so small that people in Osaka must go out to the water by Funaikesu for dining and night cruising to escape from the summer heat.
Nowadays, the splendid city lights are the main attraction for the night cruise but in the Edo period, the night view meant darkness. In the darkness, Osaka people used Funaikesu for secret private parties or business meetings. No matter where the starting points were, the boats usually went out to Okawa, old Yodo River, so there were many merchants selling various kinds of foods and entertainers playing the Shamisen, a three-stringed Japanese guitar, on boats looking for customers.

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