Indie bike shops / cafes-Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka

Hi
Any recommendations for Independent bike shops or cafes in Tokyo, Kyoto,Osaka. Road, Single speed, urban? Would love to visit, coming in April.
Thanks

Cycle fair next weekend
https://www.cyclemode.net/exhibition/

Very curios bikes with a strong as a downtube. A friend of mine bought the first that got on sale last summer and loves it.
https://www.silkcycle.com/
Itfs in Saitama though

Nalshima friends is probably the best gnormalh bike shop
https://www.nalsimafrend.jp/

Ys road is an other famous bike shop chain. Again, normal stuff. But they have a relatively big clothing section with some gJapaneseh cycle brands. (Kapelmurc) There are several shops I think the one in Shinjuku 3-chome is the biggest. That smell of rubber 😍
https://ysroad.co.jp/shinjuku/

Friends of friends own this bike shop close to Tamalake
https://pap-cycle.tokyo/

Other friends of friends have this road bike rental / cafe shop in Itsukaichi.
https://ura-yama.com/
Great place to ride up to Hinohara and then over to Okutama. Maybe the highest pass within Tokyo Prefecture

This shop is pretty famous for vintage bikes
https://youtu.be/yFEW53hFYyk?si=a37NTmUJrDwG7G_8
https://corsacorsa.com/

This is a bicycle cleaning shop run by some ex Giro mechanics. I think some of them speak English. I never went to their shop as I always meet them at a cyclocross event in December when my bike gets a deep clean
https://lavaggio-cycle.com/

If you want to experience riding a mamachari a friend of mine always rents one at Sangenjaya station. I think he pays like 200 Yen for a day which is a total bargain. Even for a mamachari
https://www.city.setagaya.lg.jp/mokuji/kusei/010/005/002/d00005236_d/f...


On 20/April there will be a flea market for used bicycle parts under Sekidobashi bridge along Tama river. Closest train station is Nakagawara.
It starts quite early, maybe around 6:30. I normally meet with friends in Tokyo at around 5:30 and we cycle there , sell our used bicycle parts and then versus 10:00 leave and enjoy the rest of the day. If you come Ifll be likely the only Caucasian woman around :-)

And if you are in Tokyo at the end of the month, join me on our monthly relaxed ride. This time itfs going to be a picnic in Wadabori. I havenft announced it yet on meetup , but ride will be on 27/April starting 10:00 at Aoyama
Check out Tokyo Night Pedal Cruising NPC “Œ‹žƒiƒCƒgƒyƒ_ƒ‹ƒNƒ‹[ƒWƒ“ƒO on Meetup https://meetu.ps/c/4vfQF/CgPhs/a
We cycle with a very mixed bag of bicycles: tall bikes, cargo bikes, road, foldable, mamachari, self builtc


If you plan to cycle and want some route suggestions let me know your cycle style and I can probably suggest something

You can also have a look at my blog for inspiration:
http://bicycletraveljapan.blogspot.com/?m=1
Not all rides are in there. Specially the ones closest to Tokyo.
But you could see those on Strava which is linked.

Safe travels.

I have only passed in front of the shop (Kiyosumi-shirakawa), but I like Tokyo Bike.
https://tokyobike.com/
I saw it on my way to the Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art.
There are many cafes such as Blue Bottle Coffee around Kiyosumi-shirakawa.
There is also a cafe in the Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art (in Kiba Park).
I also like a shop called SOU-SOU in Kyoto, and they sell things like bike pants here.
https://www.sousou.co.jp/?no=0&mode=cate&cbid=221654&csid=0
By the way, I bought my bicycle in Asahi.
https://www.cb-asahi.co.jp/
They seem to be opening this store as well.
https://thebase.cb-asahi.co.jp/access/
A giant store that originated in Taiwan
https://bicyclerental.jp/en/area/

If you are interested in renting a road bike I can recommend the shop in Maibara station on Biwa lake. Best to reserve ahead.

Dear LikeBIke, Dear Haro1210

Thak you so much for these tips, these are gold!
Night Pedal Cruising looks fantastic, great vibe, but I tihnk I will miss it unfortuntaelly, would need to re-arrange my trip for this.

I'll be in

11-16 APRIL Tokyo 1
17th april Cycle around Five lakes-Kawaguchiko till Motosuko and back in a day
(and half day before or after around Yamanakako)
April 19th Tsumago-Magome Hike
20 - 23rd Kyoto
24TH-25th bike Shimnanami Kaido (start in onomichi, nigh in Imabari and back)
26th-28 th Osaka
29th-2nd Tokyo

Considering maybe renting a bike in Kyoto for city as well.
Ii'ts my first time in Japan, so in cities will be probably walking, stoping and be in awe. but the Mamachari seems interesting (I reside in Amsterdam currently, so seems this is similar vibe to dutch bikes).

My bike style is party pace, stop and look around, I do have race/gravel bike at home, but comfort and views are more important then speed for me

maybe if you can advise: for Shimnanami Kaido i'm considering getting the "city bike" instead of road, due to tyre size (road are 25cc). https://bicyclerental.jp/en/lineup/,
plan is yo see the islands, not to zoom pass it to quickly. have you cycled there? any recomendations?

again, thanks for all the tips! great blog, great rides!

Regarding Shimanami Kaido, yes I cycled there back in 2017 on my brompton.
http://bicycletraveljapan.blogspot.com/2017/11/part-10-day-48-49-ridin...

Although I now own and mainly ride a road bike my cycling pace is also slow and I do often combine it with some sightseeing. Not necessarily planned sightseeing , just stopping somewhere on route. That only backfired this year in January when I got massively cold after stopping at a shrine and a temple
http://bicycletraveljapan.blogspot.com/2024/01/ny2024-d8-tanzan-and-ha...

Regarding what bike to rent, the road condition of Shimanami Kaido is good. No gravel. So 25 tires would be ok. But you donft need a road bike. The only word of warning is FRAMESIZE. Bicycles in Japan are generally small and people are used riding in very crammed positions. So what is rented under city bike might be quite small. While on road bikes people have their correct size.
Even though it seems hard to estimate correct frame size by just letting them know your hight. I rented a road bike in Maibara station once, had called them before and given them my hight (174 so nothing outlandish) still when I got there they had prepared for me a colgnago that was at least 3 sizes too small. Initially they said, well letfs just raise the saddle, but my knees would still nearly hit the bar. Then they realized that 174 needs a bigger bike and I ended up with a nice Merida. That was possible because it was in the winter so they didnft have a lot of other customers. But at Shimanami Kaido in April there might be many customers.
http://bicycletraveljapan.blogspot.com/2022/12/nagahama-on-biwako.html...

Another word of warning: you cannot bring your bike into a train/bus UNLESS it is in a bag. So donft think that you can ride halfway and take a train back. On the Shimanami Kaido there are specific busses that allow bicycle transport. But practically everywhere else your bike needs to be in a bag.

The Magome part is a bit out of the way. Are you totally set on spending time there? Could I interest you instead for Yamanobe no michi in Nara prefecture?

As you are in Osaka you might want to check out the bicycle museum in Sakai (Shimanofs hometown)

https://www.bikemuse.jp/
http://bicycletraveljapan.blogspot.com/2019/02/to-sakai-and-its-bicycl...

In Tokyo there is also the BCC which is a great place to pick up maps for rides in Japan. (Mostly in Japanese. But those are maps, so I think itfs possible to understand whatfs going on w/o knowing Japanese). It also has a library where I never went.

BCC (Bicycle Culture Center)
03-4334-7953

I didn't ride a bicycle when I went to the Netherlands, but I did when I went to Iceland. The type of brakes were the same as in Japan.
I usually ride a mamachari. It's heavier than a road bike, but it has a basket so it's convenient for shopping.
Mamachari is suitable for short distances, but I sometimes row close to 20km a day.
(When I was in my 40s, the longest I rowed was over 70km in a day.)
It's been over 10 years since I rented a bicycle in Kyoto.
University students make up about 10% of the population in Kyoto, so many people ride bicycles.
There are a lot of people around Shijo, so it's best to avoid passing by as much as possible. (I got off my bike on the sidewalk and walked while pushing it.) Gion is also crowded with people.
Bicycles are actually supposed to ride on the road, but since there are few bike paths and many of the roads are narrow, mamacharis often ride on the sidewalk. (Road bikes run on the road)
In that case, please give priority to passersby.
Sometimes I ring my bicycle bell, but I try not to ring it as much as possible and just say, "Suimasen(Excuse me).''
I rented a bicycle at Demachiyanagi and headed north along the Kamogawa River to Kamigamo Shrine (nearby is famous for its Yaki-mochi(grilled rice cakes)), then passed in front of Imamiya Shrine (famous for its Aburi-mochi(grilled rice cakes) on the approach), then in front of Kinkakuji Temple and Kamishichiken. Pass through to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. Afterwards, I passed by Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, passed through Shijo, and returned along the Kamogawa River to Demachiyanagi.
I think these articles will also be helpful.
https://www.insidekyoto.com/cycling-kyoto
https://kyoto-bicycle.com/en/rental_search
https://www.jal.co.jp/es/en/guide-to-japan/destinations/articles/kyoto...
https://kyoto-option.com/english/map/
You can also find a variety of other information by searching for the keyword "cycling kyoto".

I've never been there, but I'm interested in this accommodation in Onomichi.
https://onomichi-u2.com/
I'm also interested in the bicycle racing hotel in Uno. (I don't gamble, but I once worked as a cleaner at a velodrome near my house.)
https://keirin-hotel10.com/
There is a ferry from Uno to Naoshima.

Keirin is definitely a great suggestions. There are a lot of keirin stadiums all across Japan. Itfs an original Japanese cycling sport/gamble. I never went but definitely on my to do list.

These tips for sure deserve a separate page! The Magome hike, yeah, quite a bit of detour, felt like a good alternative when planning the trip and the Tateyama was already fully booked. But definitely open for other hikes!

It's a little early, but I recommend Kamikochi for hiking.
The bus service is scheduled to start on April 17.
It will be fully open around April 29, and there are many accommodations that are not yet available, so a day trip is recommended (if you are going to stay, Matumoto, Shirahone Onsen, Hirayu Spa, etc.).
https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/
https://fivesense.guide/blog/column/134455/#:~:text=%E3%80%90%E4%B8%8A...

These tips for sure deserve a separate page! The Magome hike, yeah, quite a bit of detour, felt like a good alternative when planning the trip and the Tateyama was already fully booked. But definitely open for other hikes!


I am not into hiking. But I did the ghikeh between Magome and Tsumago maybe about 15 years ago. Itfs nice. But I would y call it a hike. Itfs a walk in the forest.

I think there are some other posters here who know more about hiking. I would keep it simple and do the bike in a region where you are anyway. So you can be flexible with weather and do it as a daytrip.

If you are interested, better to open a new question.

Hi Carpick,

I will be doing almost the same trip, I'll be there around the 3rd of May. I might stay an extra night.

24TH-25th bike Shimnanami Kaido (start in onomichi, nigh in Imabari and back)

Have you already reserved a bike or are you doing it once you get there?

Hi yeah I have the bike reserved with
Giant. Ifll let you know how it went !

An article written about bicycle loading on a ship in Shimanami Kaido may be a reference for cycling.
https://touring-shimanami.com/ferry-route/
In the case of an electric assisted bicycle, there seems to be a case that it can't be put on a ship.
https://touring-shimanami.com/rentalbike-electric/