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Thursday, June 7, 2012

More Views of Shibuya Cycling

Shibuya Tokyo Woman on Bicycle渋谷サイクリング

Ah, the views to be had in Shibuya.

From a beautiful young thing on her pale blue rod to a cross bike with fat-boy tires tied to a pole in front of McDonalds.

It is a center of cycling culture in Tokyo, thus making it one of Asia's top places to watch the scene.

In terms of actual getting on a bike and riding, we are still a bit put off by the volume: of people, of cars, of noise.

Coming from the provinces, (i.e., Kyoto), we were overwhelmed and amazed by the number of helmet-less riders. (No cool helmets in Tokyo?)


Shibuya Bicycle© CycleKyoto.com

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Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Middle Aged Kyoto Woman Cycling Visor

Cycling Woman Kyoto京都自転車ようバイザー

Japanese women take sun protection very seriously.

Most women wear gloves or arm covers up to the elbow or beyond, huge sun visors that cover the entire face, and even a parasol fitted to the handlebars.

This woman, who is cycling along Sanjo Dori in central Kyoto, is rather fearless: no parasol and, worse still, her hands are exposed.

She does however have the massive, de rigueur face visor.

© CycleKyoto.com

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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Cycling Ueno Tokyo

Bicycle Lane Ueno Tokyo東京上野を自転車で楽しむ

The Ueno area of Tokyo is many things.

Ueno Park is home to the city's zoo, a handful of great museums, Shinobazu Pond, a collection of cherry trees that draw thousands of revelers every spring, and Japan's most prestigious arts university.

Across the street from Shinobazu Street is Tokyo University, or Todai, which is home to privileged youth and future bureaucrats.

To the northeast, beyond Tokyo Geidai (Arts University) is the quaint area Yanaka.

Ueno is also a working class neighborhood that was the arrival point for many refugees from Japan's northeast. Following World War II - and prior to that as well - Ueno Station was the first view of the capital for hundreds of thousands of migrants from the rural north who moved to the big city for work.

The working class area today is primarily to the east of the large JR station.

The bike lane pictured above is along Asakusa Dori, which runs from JR Ueno Station to Asakusa, across the Sumida River, and farther into the old working class downtown area known as "shitamachi."

It is a great place to ride a bike. The side streets are slow moving, a world away from the manic energy of Shinjuku and Shibuya and the parts west in the "high" city.

The area is also undergoing a revival of sorts. Tokyo Skytree was built nearby, and young people are moving in because rents are lower than in other parts of the city.

Tokyo Skytree© CycleKyoto.com

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Monday, June 4, 2012

Osaka Priest Praying

Osaka Priest大阪京橋お祈りお坊さん

In the covered area between JR Kyobashi and Keihan Stations, a priest begged for alms.

Unlike Kyoto, where such a scene is common, in Osaka one rarely sees priests out and about.

This young man was stone still, hands clasped, as commuters on bikes and foot rushed past him.

Back in Kyoto, the priests from Myoshinji wander the neighborhood, once a month or so. chanting powerfully to announce their arrival.

This priest was completely silent. Few donated.


© CycleKyoto.com

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Sunday, June 3, 2012

This Week in World Cycling News 3 June 2012

tofu seller bike kyoto今週のサイクリング2012年06月03日

This Is How We Ride New York Times

Giro d'Italia 2012: Ryder Hesjedal is first Canadian to win the race BBC

Spanish Olympic team named Cycling News

Manchester gears up for England's first ever closed-road cyclosportive Guardian

UNE CHUTE QUI TOMBE MAL Libération

¿Soy XL? El Pais

北京将扩大差别化停车收费区域 改善步行自行车设施条件 财经网

自転車のサドル、女性も性機能障害に陥るリスク 米研究 AFPBB News

Cyclist Evans upbeat about Tour defence Yahoo

Last Week's Cycling News


© CycleKyoto.com

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Saturday, June 2, 2012

Bicycle Culture Center Tokyo

Bicycle Culture Center Science Museum Tokyo自転車文化センター東京科学技術館

Located on the second floor of the Science Museum in Tokyo's Kitonomaru Park (along with Budokan) is the Bicycle Culture Center.

The Museum is a bit past its sell-by date - it opened in April 1969 and hasn't aged well - but the Bicycle Culture Center is worth a visit.

It features a history of bicycles, with many old bikes on display.

Befitting a science museum, there are also interactive displays on the physics and science of cycling.

For those who are not able to read Japanese, it will be a visual experience as the signage is only in Japanese.

Compared to its Osaka cousin, the Bicycle Museum Cycle Center Sakai, it is not as zippy. The latter enjoys corporate sponsorship (Shimano is based in Sakai) and its presentation was much more professional.

Still, the Tokyo facility has a library along with its displays and is a good hour or two.


Information

Science Museum
2-1 Kitnomaru Koen, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 102-00091

【科学技術館】
102-0091
東京都千代田区北の丸公園2番1号

Access

Tokyo Metro Tozai Line

Takeshita Station, Exit 1b, 550 meters
Kudanshita Station, Exit 2, 800 meters

Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line

Kudanshita Station, Exit 2, 800 meters

Shinjuku subway line

Kudanshita Station, Exit 2, 800 meters

Bicycle Culture Center Science Museum Tokyo© CycleKyoto.com

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Friday, June 1, 2012

Japanese Woman Cycling Near Kayaba Cafe Ueno Tokyo

Beautiful Woman on Bike Tokyo東京上野でサイクリングを楽しむ美人

A block northeast of Ueno Park just beyond Tokyo University of the Arts is a wonderful cafe.

Kayaba Cafe is an old pile of a building that now serves as a tea shop. It would hold its own among Kyoto's best machiya cafes.

In front of the cafe is a lovely arts (?) student on her green and black bike.

The bright green of the bike is offset by her faded jeans, white sweater, pink shoe straps, hennaed hair, and brown bag thrown over the handlebars.

Her hair and bag coordinate nicely, and bookend the rest of the montage.

Following a coffee at Kayaba, heading farther into the neighborhood - away from Ueno Park - is also a treat.

The Sendagi and Yanaka neighborhoods look and feel like much of Kyoto. They are dotted with temples, have old shopping streets, and a large famous graveyard.

Information

Kayaba Cafe
6-1-29 Taninaka, Taito-ku
Tokyo 110-0001

Tel: 03-3823-3545
mail: mail@kayaba-coffee.com

Kayaba Cafe Tokyo© CycleKyoto.com

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