Cool Bike Sign Kyoto

すごい自転車標識京都

Just north of Gojo Dori - the large boulevard in the background of the photo - we found this somewhat beat up bike sign.

The sign reads:

Warning/Be Careful of bikes rushing out!

Below that it is "signed" with the address of the local police station.

The design is a bit dated, but we love the look of the cyclist with his racing helmet on, leaning forward, the wind streaming behind him.

It also appears that a cyclist (?) hit the sign at the bottom.

More on bicycle law

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Bike Parking on Oike Kyoto

御池通自転車駐輪

Here is one of the bike parking stands along Kyoto's Oike Dori.

The wide boulevard, which runs in front of City Hall, now has hundreds of these spaces for bikes.

The first 30 minutes are free. After that, it costs 100 yen to for three hours, and then 50 yen for each additional two hours.

This simple stroke of city planning genius has helped clean up the mess - a bit.

Here's hoping the idea spreads.

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Kyoto Bike Date

鴨川自転車デート

Just north of the Imadegawa Bridge, the Kamo River and Takano River join creating the Kamo River. (The Chinese characters are different for the two rivers, but the transliteration is the same.)

The Kamo is the city's main river, and flows through central Kyoto.

This area is popular with families, picnickers, and young people.

Both banks are good for cycling, jogging, strolling, and a date.

The couple pictured below are still in their high school uniforms. One of them has come via bike.

It was roughly four in the afternoon, and the air was soft and humid.

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Bicycle Theft Poster Kyoto

自転車盗難多発！！

Kyoto's Demachiyanagi Station sports many posters, usually of the behavior modification ilk.

This one is courtesy of the police and screams at the viewer:

"Bike theft is going through the roof!!"

Below that, in white lettering with a red background:

"Bike theft is a crime. Stop!"

For a society with relatively little crime, umbrellas and bikes are pretty fair game.

Here is more information on safety.

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Japanese Inn Kiyamachi Kyoto

木屋町旅館

While cycling up Kiyamachi the other day, we came upon this amazing Japanese inn.

Multi-storied, with eaves and soffits everywhere you look - it appears like something from a Hayao Miyazaki animated film.

However, it is real indeed.

The inn is located on the Kamo River side of Kiyamachi, just north of Gojo Dori.

This area has seen its fortunes improve in recent years. Restaurants have opened, and the brothels that have opened north of Shijo have not spread south to this area.

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Horinji Temple Daruma Temple

法輪寺だるま寺

A short ride from Enmachi Station, in west Kyoto, is Horinji Temple.

It is more commonly known as "Daruma Temple" because of the 8,000 - so they say - daruma dolls in and around the temple.

Daruma dolls are round, playful looking figures that are modeled after the founder of zen Buddhism.

In Japan, though, they are also used as symbols of luck and perserverance. Often they come with the eyes blank. When one has achieved something - winning a political election, opening a restaurant - the eye is painted in.

The painting at right is actually on the ceiling of one of the sub-temples.

A different view of the same sub-temple can be seen below left. This temple houses a large number and quite a variety of the daruma.

This temple can be seen on the "Gothic Quarter" ride.

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Bike and Pedestrian Sign Kyoto

京都交通標識

The sign pictured at right tells the viewer that both bicycles and pedestrians are allowed on this block.

Below the round blue image, the sign reads:

自転車通行可 (jitensha tsuko ka)

That means that bikes are permitted to pass (ride) here.

The street is a short stretch along Kawaramachi north of Imadegawa that is full of shops.

Shop owners and locals seemed mostly oblivious to the college students careening down the sidewalk, earphones inserted, cell phone in hand.

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