October

As sure as you’ll find vending machines, convenience stores, and a small shrine in the average Japanese neighborhood, you’ll find people traveling around on a bicycle.  More everyday transport than pleasure, most Japanese use their bikes to run errands, ferry children to daycare, and get to and from their local train stations in the suburban areas where public transport links are more spread out. As they form a necessary part of the transportation infrastructure, cycling laws are enforced just as strictly as automobile laws; drunk cycling is punishable with similar fines and jail time, you may only park your cycle in designated areas, and in most places, the bicycle must be registered with the local police and carry a sticker with its registration number. Getting Started The easiest way to take care of everything at once is to buy a bike at a shop. As you might guess, they are located everywhere from inside department stores all the way down to local mom & pop outlets. When you purchase a bike at the shop, the maintenance, registration and optional insurance can be taken care of straight away. If you decide to purchase a used bike (and there are lots of…