In July 2004 Funayama contested the House of Councillors election as a Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) candidate in the Yamagata At-large district but lost to the incumbent, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) member Koichi Kishi.

At the July 2007 election she again contested the Yamagata district as a DPJ candidate and was successful, claiming 57.3% of the vote.

In July 2012 Funayama resigned from the DPJ and formed the Green Wind party with three other women Councillors.

She sought reelection at the July 2013 election but lost to LDP candidate Mizuho Onuma.

In December 2015 Funayama announced her intention to contest the 2016 House of Councillors election as an independent.