Bicyling with kids

Hello,

Is it possible (allowed) in Japan to bike with a kid over 6 years old on the rear of the bike ? If so, is a dedicated seat mandatory ? And is an helmet mandatory for children ?

We are considering renting bikes in some places to visit, using "Ekirin Kun" with our JR Pass when possible, but apparently it is only for children over 11 years old.

Our kids are 6 and 7 years old, and even if they know how to bike, but they are not familiar with left driving, so we would rather take them on our bike than leave them biking by their own.

Is it possible (allowed) in Japan to bike with a kid over 6 years old on the rear of the bike ?

I'm afraid it's generally not allowed. Most prefectures have by-laws stating that you could only ride with children who have not yet entered elementary school. In Japan, you enter elementary school in April when you're 6 years old.

To ride with a 6-year-old, a dedicated seat that clears safety regulations is mandatory. A helmet is not mandatory, but the adult rider must "make an effort" to put one on on the child.

Our kids are 6 and 7 years old

Also note that the by-laws usually state that you can ride with the child only if the person driving the bicycle is 16 years old or older. So, in your case, at least your 7-year-old does not have the option to ride with someone else. This is probably because adult drivers are likely to lose control when they're carrying a child as large as 7 or over.

Meanwhile, it is typically advised that children shouldn't ride bikes without being accompanied by an adult at least until they're about 5th or 6th grade, which is probably why Ekirinkun is for 11 and over. And smaller children should ride smaller kid's bikes anyway.

Now, a lot of parents aren't aware of these by-laws (you don't need a license to ride bicycles in Japan) and tend to put big kids on their bikes. But by-laws exist for your own safety, so it's best to obey them. And roads in Japan tend to be narrow, guardrail-less, curvy and hilly.

You can still hope to find children's rental bikes in touristic places where roads are safer.

The website below is just for reference to back up what I've written.
https://www.police.pref.saitama.lg.jp/f0010/kotsu/jyosyaninnzu.html

Thank you very much for your detailled answer.

It would have been an opportunity if allowed or considered "normal", but it won't change much if we can not, and I dont want to be the tourist that does not respect the rules.

@Uco, the link provided is a bit out of date as it is 2020.
Wearing a helmet will is mandatory for all cyclists in Japan from April 2023 onward. This was a well publicized change from December 2022.

@JapanCustomTours, thank you for your input. But I'm afraid I have to say that I found (as shown below) NHK reporting as of December 2022 that it is still not mandatory to "wear" the helmet. It's just mandatory to "make an effort" (努力義務) of wearing one, as it was before. What changed as of April 2023 was the age. Before that, the effort was mandatory only for parents/guardians of children younger than 13, but now every person must make the effort when riding a bicycle. The Metropolitan Police also made the same announcement as of June 2023. And, yes, I remember TV reporting about adults rushing to buy helmets to the point that the stores ran out of them.

https://www.nhk.or.jp/shutoken/newsup/20221221c.html#:~:text=%E8%87%AA...

https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/kotsu/jikoboshi/bicycle/menu/h...

@Klapotis, wise thinking. And again, there is no problem about your children wearing helmets and riding bicycles individually while being accompanied by their parent. You will also find (although not many) bicycles-only trails in various places throughout Japan. I hope you get a chance to find safe rental bicycles and opportunities for your whole family.

@Uco - I suspect it is the difference in how it was reported in the English media versus the translation of the Japanese - as often happens, the meanings are different. I know some schools made it mandatory for students (no helmet, no riding to school), and I recall a thread over on TA where I lamented that there was no penalty for not wearing a helmet. I'm happy to be corrected.

Still, like all the idiots that don't use seatbelts for their children in cars, using a helmet on a bike is still a very good thing to do. I still regularly see motorcyclists with helmets and no strap (as useful as nothing), and mothers with their kids cycle helmet in the front carrier basket and the kid on the back - they have one and don't bother using it. Japan does have poor road safety record.

@JapanCustomTours, I have a lot to say on that issue, but I prefer to stay on-topic, and I see your point.