Biking in Tokyo

May 23, 2009
I took my first ride with the Tokyo Half-fast cyclists too. It’s a loosely organized group, mostly of expats, that meets for rides and beer, often together. Today’s trip was a beginner’s jaunt, only 30 kilometers from the Grand Hyatt in Roppongi to Haneda airport and back. Twelve of us met; I was the only person not on a road bike, a decision calculated on the basis that 30-k was not that long and a ride through the city would have sufficient stoplights to slow everyone down. I was correct (or the group was kindly cycling slowly), though I did receive much (justified) amusement at the big, bright air pump I carried in my basket instead of a compact pump.

I was encouraged by the attire of the riders – outfits ranged from full spandex to shorts and a white t-shirt. The group was friendly and knew Tokyo. The ride took us through parts of Tokyo that do not appear in tourist brochures – beneath the airport monorail (cement ages poorly), past truck loading zones, through large apartment complexes – as well as parks, riding paths, and major city streets.

Tokyo is the best cycling city I have been in. The cab drivers (and nearly all other drivers) are not aggressive even when cyclists are stupid (I saw two Japanese cyclists the other week going up a street on opposite sides as they chatted, blocking the growing line of cars from moving faster than a crawl. No one honked or did anything). The ability to shift from street to sidewalk, the narrow side streets to travel in, the willingness to go down one-way streets the wrong way (small streets – I’ve seen Japanese cyclists going against traffic on Yamate Dori, a sight that scares me), and a relaxed attitude towards traffic lights makes cycling relatively safe and fun.

The biggest danger is other cyclists, especially those speeding down one-way streets the wrong way. A number are mothers with children mounted fore and aft. The government tried to ban the two-child carriers on the reasonable ground (to this outsider) that the high center of gravity made them dangerous. Parents protested on the even more reasonable ground that a bike was the best way to move small children around the neighborhood. The appropriate ministry relented and decided instead to promote safer child-carrying bikes. A much more sensible response than banning a needed bike.


I also started cycling to campus. This is very different from casual cycling, involving pedaling down major streets (or the parallel sidewalk) or trying back routes and becoming very lost (while seeing fascinating parts of Tokyo). I’m kicking myself for not trying commuting earlier – I confess the distance on the map intimidated me. Add the justified worry about cycling at night and the fact that I sometimes am coming or going from other events and you have a recipe for inaction. The ride is not necessarily for the cautious (or the sane), but it is exhilarating, especially when I find I know where I am.

On a good time (lots of energy, catching the lights), the time to commute is the same as taking the train, not counting a shower. On a bad day, well, let’s not go there. Suffice it to say Tokyo is full of fascinating side streets and dead ends.



I also started cycling to campus.

Obstacles, coursing

One weekend we went to the obstacle course at Heiwazumi.park. As usual, we took the train, changing at Shinagawa and passing scores of apartment buildings on the Keikyu line. This vertical living was a reminder of how densely populated Tokyo can be and stood in marked contrast to the one-, two- and three-story buildings that spread over so much of the city.

A wonderful part of Japanese culture that partly compensates for the uninspiring neighborhood playgrounds, obstacles are sets of physical challenging courses. Heiwazumi had 45 separate parts and Alex and Caroline finished them in less than 90 minutes and, for Alex, one change of shoes. The obstacle course clearly had not been designed with American personal injury lawyers in mind. Bare dirt cushioned a fall. Large gaps between logs and between ropes provided the chance to fall, sometimes from 3-5 meter heights. In short, it was designed for kids to have fun, not by a group trying to minimize its insurance risk. And our kids did have fun, clambering up and down nets, running along logs, snaking through rope tunnels, paddling a tub, and otherwise testing themselves (and sometimes their parents) for nearly 45 courses. The obstacle course made up for the sparse playgrounds.