Cycling tips for Japan

Riding in Japan is enjoyable and safe, but as Tina McCarthy has learnt from her many visits, following the rules is essential.

Travelling to Japan on a bike can be challenging, but some tips might help you avoid unnecessary agony.

Airline baggage allowance

• Check with the airline about the actual size of the bike box allowed on the flight because most airlines differ.
• If you think you will be oversized, purchase an oversized luggage allowance before flying. The fee will be higher at the airport check-in.
• Make sure that what you pack can easily be extracted for checking and then replaced quickly and easily. Not all Japanese airports have scanning machines large enough to fit a bike box, so it requires manual opening of the box and pulling everything out for security staff to check.
• In my experience, Japanese baggage handlers treat any luggage carefully and gracefully. However, choose your box carefully and remember that hard cases, though more cumbersome, offer the best protection.

Arrival and baggage transport

• Some companies will forward your luggage from the airport to your hotel, but research carefully, as not all of them will accept a large bicycle box.
• If you intend to travel on the Shinkansen (bullet train), book the oversized luggage area when booking your seats. You can do this a month before departure using the SMARTEX app from Japan Rail.
• Plan where you will store your bike box for the duration of your tour. Not all hotels will hold your box, so enquire when making your reservations.
• Soft, foldable cases can be stored in railway coin lockers, but they offer less protection for your bike in transit.

Travelling in Japan with a bike

• A ‘rinko bag’ is the essential item of most Japanese cyclists. Available online or at most good bike shops, the ‘rinko’ is a cover-all for your bike while on trains. In Japan, exposing any part of your bike while on the train is not permitted.
• Rinko bags come in varying versions: some you must remove both wheels; others you just remove the front wheel. A good Rinko bag is generally around $80-150 and will allow for differing bike sizes in one bag. It covers every part of the bike: Ostrich, Montbell, and Topeak are some brands available. Make sure it fits the frame size of your bike.

Essential items

• Tools: Essential tools are needed that you won’t always find available at bike set-up locations: pedal wrench, torque wrench, set of Allen keys and hex keys.
• Lights: It is a legal requirement in Japan to have front and rear lights or reflectors.
• Bell: You must have a bell. However, keep in mind that ringing your bell in Japan can often be considered a little rude. Be polite, and don’t ring incessantly if you need to ring at all. Sometimes, a cheerful ‘excuse me’ (or sumimasen in Japanese) is all that is needed.
• Helmet: It is a legal requirement to wear a helmet while cycling in Japan.

Know the rules

• It is not permitted to cycle double file in Japan … strictly single file at all times.
• Don’t use your mobile phone while riding, or handheld cameras and recording devices … it is illegal. Plenty of riders ignore the rule, but do so at your own risk. Note that the fines are purportedly around ¥100,000!!
• Traffic lights are often on the opposite side of the intersection and up high. Pay attention because they can be easy to miss when your eyes are on the road.
• Check the local traffic rules and research the local laws.

Where can I ride?

• Japan is the same as Australia … car traffic travels on the left-hand side. It’s the same for bicycles, stick to the left.
• Often, there are no dedicated bike lanes, so if you are on the road in traffic, stay left.
• Though you’ll see plenty riding on the footpath in Japan, it isn’t considered legal unless signs state you can do so (except children under 13). It is general courtesy to stick to the outside of the footpath closest to the traffic if you are on the footpath, and as always, pedestrians have the right of way.