Bicycle Museums Japan

自転車博物館

Japan has several good bicycle museums. Below are three worth checking out.

Tokyo

Jitensha Bunka Center
自転車文化センター
Tozai subway line to Takebashi Station. Exit 1B, seven minute walk.
Tozai/Hanzomon subway line to Kudanshita Station. Exit 2B, seven minute walk.
03-3217-1231

600 yen for adults, 400 yen for children

Nagoya

Cycling Gallery Yagami Jitensha Shiryokan
サイクルギャラリー・ヤガミ自転車資料館
Subway Sakuratori Line to Gokiso Station. Exit 4, 6 minute walk.
Open Saturdays, admission free.
052-853-3281

Sakai

Jitensha Hakubutsukan
自転車博物館
South Of Osaka, in Sakai. Take the JR Hanwa Line to Mozu Station. A 10-minute walk.
072-243-3196

300 yen for adults, 200 yen for junior high school students

This is the best of the bunch.

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Japanese Sweets Gion

和菓子祇園

Though not perhaps technically "wagashi" - Japanese sweets - these small, beautiful hard candies are incredibly Japanese.

Basically sugar, food coloring, and a lot of skill went into creating them.

While riding through Gion, we stopped at Cafe Fugetsu and had lunch.

The cafe is housed in a old tea house, which is itself worth a visit.

After lunch, the waitress brought out green tea cheesecake with tofu-cream, and a side dish of small candies.

Up close, one can see that the colorful candies are intricately carved.

Access


From Minami-za Theater, walk or ride towards Yasaka Shrine on Shijo Dori. At Hanamikoji, turn right and head into the main area of Gion. At the fourth corner on the left, turn left (east). Cafe Fugetsu is on the right side of the street.

Tel: 075 561 5937



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Video of Bike Ride Kamo River

自転車で鴨川の録画

The bike videos continue.

This ride takes in part of the embankment along the east side of the Kamo River.

We started just south of Sanjo. The second bridge we ride under is the Sanjo Bridge.

Other highlights are a homeless encampment - note the blue tarps under a bridge - the young skateboarders near the conjunction of canals that feed into the river from Okazaki, and of course the beautiful river itself.

The ride ended when we went up an exit ramp at Marutamachi Dori.




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Kyoto Eirin Bicycles

京都サイクルエイリン

Close to Doshisha Unversity and the Imperial Palace is a new Eirin shop.

Eirin is a Kyoto chain that sells new and used bikes. The stores also have free air pumps out front. If your tires are low, it's a good place to refill (some of the smaller mom & pop places try to charge for air).

If you are in the market for an inexpensive beater for getting around town, Eirin can be recommended.

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Video of Bike Ride Gion Kyoto

自転車で祇園の周辺の録画

On a cold January weekend, we took a ride in and around Gion.

The ride started at Cafe Fugetsu - a wonderful former tea house - and then winds its way back to  Hanamikoji Dori.

Then, to avoid the tourists, we took a right down a side street.

Gion is the most well-known area in Japan for geisha, but at this time of day none were to be found.

The ride ended as we entered a bumpy section of Kenninji, a zen temple in Gion.




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Video of Bike Ride Near Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

自転車で北野天満宮周辺の録画

On a cold January weekend, we rode past Kitano Tenmangu Shrine.

From there, the ride took us past the eastern side of the shrine.

At that point, we cut down into Kamishichiken.

This is an area of tea houses and geisha.

The end of the ride takes us down a narrow street hard by a temple.




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Kyoto Maiko on Pontocho

京都先斗町舞子

We are not sure what if anything this lovely creature has to do with cycling, but she reeks Kyoto.

This maiko (apprentice geisha) known as Ichiraku is seated serenely near the Pontocho Kaburenjo Theater, in central Kyoto, surrounded by tourists, assorted leg-humpers, and a party of people she appeared to be with.

Poised and perfect.

It must be brutal work.

Editor's note: this photo was taken in May 2008.


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