Tokyo presents innumerable challenges for foreign cyclists; especially those like us who were on one hand intimidated by the sheer size of the city and who also did not have a clue where to go.
Before leaving Vancouver, I Googled “bike rental Tokyo” and “bike tour Tokyo” and found the good folks at The Tokyo Great Cycling Tour. The tour runs only on Saturdays from 9:30 am until approximately 3:30 pm. Getting to the meeting point outside the Maranouchi Hotel was simple enough, as the main railway runs north to south and the hotel is situated at the north entrance to the Tokyo subway system.
The bikes used are eight-speed lightweight city bikes, more advanced than the standard issue mamachari bikes that dominate Japan. Size-wise the bikes start as low as 150 centimetres. Make sure you request your correct size when confirming your tour. Helmets are supplied, although most native commuters do not use them.
Our two guides, Masa and Yukiko, proved to be a fountain of information regarding all aspects of Tokyo, including the necessary bike riding etiquette. It is customary to ride on the sidewalk and to the left of slower and oncoming traffic, as the Japanese drive on the opposite side of the road to North Americans. The sidewalks are much wider than in a North American city, and on a Saturday morning the streets were far less busy than one would expect in a city of over 12 million.
Our first stop was the Imperial Palace at Kokyo where Yuriko explained the purpose of the wide road we had stopped on; it was to allow the Royal Family access to the main Tokyo railway station. No other vehicles are allowed to use it, although bikes are generally accepted.
From there, it was off through the back streets to Nihonbashi, where we received a history lesson on how Tokyo became the capital of Japan after the country’s power elite moved from Kyoto.
We were then off to Tsukuda-jima, a small fishing village surrounded by the concrete of the big city. History tells us that 33 fishermen from Kobe came to this location at the request of the Shogun family. The fishermen provided for the family and were justly rewarded. The island was one of the few places in Tokyo not to be firebombed in World War II. One of its secrets is a small alley barely wide enough for one person in which a tree is completely surrounded by the house built around it; next to the tree is a small shrine.
A visit to the world’s largest fish market at Tsukiji came next. We caught the hustle and bustle of the market and did our best not to get run down by the battery-operated vehicles that rush about the market.
We went on to cross the various bridges (which provided the only elevation on the tour) through to Harumi, a reclaimed land that has provided much needed living space for Tokyo residents. We saw massive high-rises with waterfront views.
The longest stretch out to Tokyo Big Site was the most challenging, not by distance but by a prevailing headwind that grew with intensity as we got closer to the waterfront at Odaiba; this site struck me as being designed by someone who played with Lego as a child. The buildings are oddly designed; I could just imagine Godzilla smashing into them as he exited Tokyo Bay, and my mention of this entertained our guides to no end. We managed to find a spot out of the wind to eat lunch – which was served from a great selection of bento boxes.
As we took the ferry in full view of the impressive structure of the Rainbow Bridge, we were saddened to learn the bridge does not offer bike access. Once off the ferry it was over to Shibakoen and Tokyo Tower, the scene of many a Japanese monster movie. In the same area is the Royal Family’s Zojyo-ji temple. Luckily for us the plum blossoms were starting to bloom, though the wind gusts increased at this point, picking up dust along the way and whipping our faces with fine powder.
After cycling around the small hill on which Tokyo Tower is located, we headed back into the city for one more temple visit. The 79 steps leading up to the famous Atago Jinja temple were not for the faint-hearted, either up or down. This temple had the most amazing koi, which turned out to be very social and persistently hungry.
Then it was back to our hotel – the Dai Ichi Annex – which was along the route back to the starting point at the Imperial Palace.
While I had some trepidation at spending $100 for this tour, by the time it was over, I had no doubts of its value. The personal accounts of our guides and the sheer enjoyment of seeing places even Tokyo residents may never see was worth the cost. My wife and I strongly recommend this tour. Regardless of your riding experience, it is a must for any green ecotourist bike rider.
$100 per person; approximately six hours and 20 kilometres around Tokyo
www.tokyocycling.jp
