Bikes in Japan

Japan is very similar to Europe in that one of the major methods of transportation is the bicycle. People use these 2-wheeled vehicles to go to school, get to the nearest train station and for shopping. They are often equipped with many nice features and are quite different than the bikes you normally find in North America.

I was recently presented with a bicycle and love it to bits. I've nicknamed it my "Porche", since it rides like one without all the high insurance fees and taxes! ^o^

My Porche:


I spent over 2 weeks looking at many bicycles before deciding on this one. It was actually recommended to me by a friend. Here are some of the special features....

Auto light:


The light doesn't require a battery; it uses the rotation of the front wheel to power the light, which comes on automatically in the dark.

Built in lock: 

This is standard on almost all bicycles in Japan. The police recommend owners to buy an additional lock to prevent bike thief.

My bike is a 6 speed. Shimano is the most famous gear maker for bicycles in Japan. They also produce fishing reels. The gear works like a motorcycle accelerator handle, just twist to shift gears:


Finally, in Japan, for an extra ¥500 (about $5) you can register your bicycle with the local police and receive an I.D tag. That way, if your bicycle is stolen (which is a common occurrence here), you only need to report to the local police box and they will search the database for you. It's highly recommended.

***Special Bonus***
It was so hot last week; I didn't want to go to the gym, so I baked. I made my usual banana bread and gave it to a friend. The cookies are a new recipe: coconut sugar cookies. They turned out soft and sweet. ^_^ I posted these pictures for a blog fan who said they enjoyed my baking photos.

Coconut cookies: before...

...and after! 

banana bread

Shimano website is HERE. 
Bicycles in Japan cost between ¥7,500 ~ ¥60,000 depending on the maker and style. The bicycle featured in this post was just over ¥10,000 ($100). There are few bicycle lanes in Japan, so riders often travel on sidewalks, or along the road. Helmets are not mandatory, but recommended. 
The coconut cookie recipe is HERE.