Cycling in Japan is Different...

[@dongye3645]

In holland and japan we commute, in america and canada you play

[@danielp709]

Many more in america would commute, if it was made convenient and safer.

[@arafat464]

Why not both?

[@Loppy2345]

More like play with their own lives

[@ohhi5237]

@@danielp709 nah they wont

[@bmwm5324]

@@ohhi5237 They absolutely will. Have you seen montreal?

[@ovomoze]

The lack of on street parking in residential streets together with 30kmh limit makes them ideal for cycling without needing to make dedicated infrastructure specialy for bikes.

[@wvlfboyy]

That's what I am thinking. The speeds in most cities for cars are just not bike friendly. This and HUGE cars just make cycling really dangerous. I'd even go as far as suggesting not only 30kmh in cities, but prohibiting overtaking any vehicle which is going faster than 25kmh (which is the maximum speed in which electric bikes will support you). Now on top of that, if we were to make cars a lot smaller, we'd also gain space for separate bike lanes. I don't think there's much wrong with individual transport, but rather the absurd size of cars and the speed we are traveling. Imagine limiting cars to 120cm width and 30kmh. They'd hardly take up more space than a bike, seat 4, get you from A to B VERY comfortably and if we stick to EU L7e regulations, use less energy than a bus. All the while being in great harmony with bikes and allowing for individual bike paths on existing roads.

[@longiusaescius2537]

Exactly

[@_mat4537]

​@@wvlfboyy I think it should be better to raise the speed limit of bikes to 30 kph, to catch up with cars. It's quite difficult to drive a manual car at 25 kmh

[@wvlfboyy]

@@_mat4537 I don't think it's difficult, but yes, less efficient for sure. The issue is that both 25kmh for bikes and 30kmh for cars are EU laws, which are unlikely to change in the near future.

[@svr5423]

@@wvlfboyy cars are not the issue. Pedestrians and other cyclists are a lot bigger threat when cycling. You can make cities safer by providing bigger roads, so bicycles can be overtaken easily. Lower speed limits are typically not the answer. Keep in mind that this increases the time a vehicle is on the road, and thus the amount of traffic you actually encounter.

[@robertlangridge6596]

Cycling on the quiet suburban streets is very safe and convenient but if you want to go further on major roads, it's a terrifying experience with trucks and taxis passing by with only mm to spare.

[@Cyromantik]

Depending on where you live, and your bicycle type, you can usually share the sidewalk with pedestrians. If you are PAS over 250wvor a throttle ebike on the other hand you need to have a number plate, the same safety indicators, registration and insurance as a 50cc scooter, you need to keep to the road.

[@irgendwer3610]

@@Cyromantik cycling on the sidewalk really sucks 90% of the time, I often find myself taking my chances on the instead

[@Immortal-_-0n]

😅That because You're so much precision in everything.

[@cleasanna05]

@irgendwer3610 its good to use if it's wide enough, or if you need to escape the street for some reason, but the unevenness makes it less than ideal. Japanese drivers are usually polite so I like to stay in the street, I'm a agressive rider anyway so I need to be in the street to be more efficient

[@thefrener794]

That is what riding in the Caribbean is like. You learn to deal with it. When a truck roars pass you, you do not even panic because you have already prepared for it. You learn to judge time and distance just with sound alone.

[@gdemorest7942]

I was born and grew up in Canada, I lived in Holland for 15 years and I've cycled in Japan back when I visited there for a month in 1990. The reason Japan and Holland get such a large section of people out on streets on bicycles is that no separated infrastructure is required for streets with a speed limit of 30 kph or less. They both have lots of streets with that speed limit or lower. Canada has very little 30 kph streets. Holland does have much more separated infrastructure than Japan, but the speed limit and street design is key to allow people to feel safe.

[@zivkovicable]

No it's the bike lanes. London has a universal 20 kmh limit across the whole city, but far fewer cyclists. In Tokyo, most of the cycling is on the wide sidewalks, and cyclists are treated more like pedestrians. In Canada, adult cyclists are banned from sidewalks unless designated shared use..

[@ohhi5237]

@@zivkovicable the netherlands doesnt have as many bike lanes as you might think, SF has more bike lanes than the average dutch city

[@zivkovicable]

@@ohhi5237 sure the average Dutch city is much smaller than SF…I’m in a bar right now ow, but I’ll look up the figures on my way home..

[@zivkovicable]

@@ohhi5237 So San Fransisco and Amsterdam (the largest city in the Netherlands) have roughly the same population, while San Fransisco is almost twice the size.... Amsterdam has 515 Km of separated bike paths. San Fransisco has 37km. .

[@mindstalk]

@@zivkovicable You have a source for "most of the cycling" or vibes? In Osaka, I won't guess what was "most", but certainly there was a lot of biking on the local streets as well as on the wide sidewalks.

[@LeftThumbBreak]

I don't see how any of it will change in North America until zoning laws change. In Japan, shops, offices, houses, apartments sit right beside each other.

[@ohhi5237]

americans complaining about american stuff being too american innit

[@kmch7286]

I find a quite lot of Americans hostile or aggressive toward adults riding bicycle. Maybe it's viewed as a kind of hippy culture? Or is it viewed as a nuisance that disrupts automobile traffic?

[@deansmits006]

With real effort, just consider it a long term effort to keep improving. There is no end point, just keep improving. After 25 years of quiet improvement, there will be quite an improvement. 50 years, even more.

[@dandan3045]

You haven't cycled in Japan until you come across a businessman in the after hours biking home with his smartphone in hand watching something on YT and a chuhai in the other hand.

[@marcellostraps]

The lack of degenerate thievery culture in Japan is something that I really miss. Being able to leave my bike outdoors while in the grocery store, and not having it immediately stolen. Awesome video!

[@Horus-Lupercal]

What do you mean by "Degenerate"?

[@FunctionFIVE]

True, I think if the US had a similar culture of bike respect they would cycle way more

[@zivkovicable]

Having lived in Tokyo, if found that bike and umbrella theft are the only two common crimes.

[@leoncchow]

Japanese don`t steal cell phones either.

[@zivkovicable]

@@FunctionFIVE America expects cyclists to share road space with fast moving motor vehicles.That's the difference.. The "respect" comes after you have a mass cycling population. When everyone cycles or is at least closely related to a daily cyclist the respect comes naturally.. The demographic of cyclists informs attitudes. In Japan it's mostly women, the elderly and school children all wearing everyday clothes. American cyclists are typically young males dressed for battle wearing helmets, & riding bikes designed for speed. While Japan has exceptionally low crime rates, bike theft is fairly common in the cities at least. The drunk salary man weaving his way home on a stolen bike after the last train home has left is a common comedic trope.

[@agricola9171]

I cycled across from Tokyo to Osaka last year and the experience was night and day to what I usually experience. Even on the country roads there are little lanes with low traffic and the cars you do meet are super respectful. I also think they don’t expect to see someone decisively western in alpine towns that remote as well so they are fairly curious and kind because of that.

[@HYDRAdude]

Something that angers western cyclist is that in Japan you aren't supposed to pass cars at an intersection. In fact, cars are supposed to block the bike lane at an intersection to prevent cyclist from passing them.

[@jtaggueg]

I just go to the pedestrian part while waiting for the light

[@iamkifo]

This is not true. There are no specific laws against overtaking cars on the left of the inside lane. However, there are violations for unsafe riding. Squeezing into tight spaces, getting into drivers blind spots, are all no go.

[@jan2000nl]

In completely unrelated news, Japan is dominated by its automaker industry.

[@AussieInJapan]

Yes the cars pulling over to the left due to some silly riders flying through intersections causing accidents with turning cars (left turn).

[@shingi_]

Really? The only vehicles I never overtake when at stopped intersections are buses.

[@shingi_]

The main problem with cycling infrastructure here is somewhat remedied by how comparatively safe the average Japanese driver is. This isn't to say I don't get my fair share of near misses or mirrors slicing my elbow clean off on every commute, but at the same time, I know I am a cyclist at rush hour in a 2-lane main road in the middle of downtown. There's just no space for them to give me a wide berth. The only times I ever have a problem are when I'm overtaken by old drivers with the old people sticker, but those are a problem for everyone, not just me. However, you do make a very good point about the lack of separation between walking pedestrians and cycling pedestrians. I find that, whenever I am walking around town, there's this group of people that are a little too skilled/quick for the sidewalk, but are either too scared or not skilled enough to ride in the street, which leaves you with teenagers or middle-aged dudes in their クロスバイク whizzing past people in the sidewalk acting like they're in Premium Rush. The only times I ever had problems when walking around were with those people. And adding to your point about cycling rules not being followed, I believe this is due mainly to a lack of enforcement, which in fairness makes a lot of sense since if you're a cop downtown, you're gonna see soooo many cyclists breaking rules to the point that stopping and fining them will take you lots of time and prevent you from filling your monthly quota of racially profiling foreigners. It's almost a cultural thing, like stealing the cheap umbrellas off of umbrella racks in convenience stores. Just last week I saw an old salaryman with an umbrella in one hand and a ciggy in the other. Cool guy for sure.

[@jonathansnow1886]

Yes, I'll take good driving culture over infrastructure any day. I've ridden in a lot of countries, and this is Japan's big big advantage. Curacao by the same token, has zero cycling infrastructure, crowded roads, and is a great *fantastic* place to ride a bike. Because drivers.

[@TheKiman2]

Aside from the infrastructure that naturally supports the usage of bikes, you're absolutely correct that Japan has what seems to be much more safety-oriented drivers as a whole. In the states, I hate driving (though I have to due to the car dependent infrastructure) b/c no matter how safely I drive, people drive like maniacs and are very aggressive. Add to that the gargantuan 8000lb super trucks that rule the streets (not to mention people not being able to afford them but they buy them anyway and are drowning in debt)...

[@emeQve]

Was pleasantly shocked of the numbers and variety of people riding in Japan. When i got on the bikes myself I knew immediately that there was a "proper bike culture" the moment I was given way by cars instead of cutting me off like they do in Sydney

[@ohhi5237]

try europe

[@drill_fiend1097]

You should probably look at South Korea as well. Has pretty great recreational cycling paths, but little to no way to use bikes to commute and general populace tends to push back against cycling. Cars are bigger there as well, kind of sits between Japan and North America.

[@ohhi5237]

sk is fucking terrible for cycling, one of the highest deathrates in traffic IN THE WORLD they have a legal max speed of 20kmph they BAN cyclists on roads and leisure paths and mountains they LOVE stealing bikes dont offend japan like that

[@chikuwa_2564]

As a Japanese, I found that the bicycle paths in China's big cities are very good.

[@Josukegaming]

I moved to the Netherlands from the US, and am currently writing my thesis on bicycle highways in the Netherlands. Despite basically my whole life being about cycling infrastructure now (and loving it) I had no idea how different Japan was from my new home country! Thanks for a very well detailed video.

[@vincentflanagan6939]

Traffic laws and liability of car drivers being responsible for all costs incurred from a collision is a major similarity to the Netherlands and the difference to the western laws. It’s a great place to cycle especially in the rural areas.

[@mitch9668]

In Osaka we have a city ordinance requiring us to purchase injury insurance for injuries to yourself and to others. It generally costs about 3300 yen a year depending on the provider you choose.

[@AussieInJapan]

Well done, this is one of the most balanced and accurately documented videos on cycling in Japan. I ride about 6000km a year mostly through Tokyo & nearby in the Kanto region. Talking to Chad was a super smart idea, he knows what he is talking about. You touched on so many excellent points. My wife and I pretty much do all of our shopping and trips on bike due to everything being local. We don’t need to drive for ages to go to malls. If we do go further then trains and subways do the heavy lifting.

[@clarencefernandez7093]

I just got back from Tokyo and rented bikes to get around. It was the most awesome experience ever. The sidewalks were MASSIVE, and cars actually respect you. Cycling around was so easy and fun there that it didn’t make sense, in my mind, to get a taxi (or even have a car if I lived there). It’s a lot different compared to Manila, where I’m from, where the sidewalks are about two people wide and the bike lanes are just road marking that are never respected.

[@lucus1340]

Just finished this little series and just wanted to say how impressed I was at the way you present my country! It’s easy to forget some of the amazing things my country has to offer when you’re used to it on a daily basis. Personally I don’t live in a super fun city (in my opinion anyways), and I’d much rather to a city with much life like Amsterdam or Utrecht. It’s fun to see how well designed even smaller villages are, and it makes me proud to be from the Netherlands. I hope you enjoyed your time here, and I look forward to future content!

[@alextao2068]

Started sports cycling and bike commuting in Tokyo since 2020. You can't avoid to use busy roads if you want to cycle a litter bit farther, but the best bike infrastructure we can get on these roads are just some painted lanes (which usually turn to free parking space for cars)... So if the sidewalk is too narrow/crowded, or you just want to ride faster, you have to ride on the road and share the space with cars, which can be dangerous sometimes. Although most drivers in Japan drive safely, one single punishment pass can ruin your day. Compared with some north America cities building and improving bike infrastructure rapidly, in Japan the cycling laws and the way infrastructure is built do not change that fast, and are deeply poisoned by vehicular cycling and groupism. So personally I think the north America cities are doing a better job cuz at least they are improving and making progress.

[@EditioCastigata]

Regarding car drivers abusing space not for them as parking: How are fines in JP and enforcement? For example, in Germany it’s 70-210€ now, with courts ruling all false parking is intentional so punishments shall be doubled by default, but actually the farther into south Germany, the worse enforcement gets; making cycling very stressful.

[@alextao2068]

@@EditioCastigata The fines start from 10,000 yen for cars and 12,000 for trucks. But actually in many cases cars are prohibited from "parking" but are allowed to "stop" ( < 5 min) on the bike lanes, which makes the situation very ambiguous. There are officers checking the illegal parking vehicles but obviously they need to work harder.

[@leopietsch1855]

Here in germany its kind of a mix between Japan, the Netherlands, and the US people still use bikes to go from A to B you have many bike paths like in the Netherlands and riding recreationally on the Weekends is a common activity.

[@mateobarnstone1591]

Just got back from Tokyo and observed almost everything in this video - very accurate! Saw the mamacharis everywhere! Was so curious about that bike - didn't know there was a name for them until I got back. Have about 300 pics of them. One thing I also agree with is the local streets serve as good a backbone for safe cycling as one could hope for. I sort of wonder if they even need better dutch style "bike infra" because the vast majority of streets are just safe. The wider commercial boulevards are not great as you observed and saw many of those stripped off lines on the sidewalks that were not observed by either cyclists or pedestrians.

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

They dont need more protected lanes, And we don’t in N.A. either. We should but putting all money and effort into restoring our lost trolley networks to take back our roads instead.

[@わわ-l8w]

I'm Japanese. I think Japan should adopt more Dutch-style trams. They're very convenient and a great way to move away from car-based society.

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

@@わわ-l8w Totally agree! 😊

[@zivkovicable]

@@StLouis-yu9iz Cyclists are protected in Tokyo as they can legally cycle on the wide sidewalks running along busy roads, and that's were most people ride. Very few cyclists mix with motorised traffic unless it's on narrow side streets where car speeds are 5 mph or so. .Large areas of central Tokyo are virtually car free. The majority of cyclists in Tokyo are women and school children, the exact opposite of North America where cycling is a young mans game, and cyclists are expected to, learn skills, wear a helmet and mix with motorised vehicles. Now imagine a 75 year old lady cycling in an American city carrying an umbrella. How long would she last in a car lane?

[@ossannamerica]

I lived in NYC for a year and Portland, Oregon for 7 years until last year, and now I came back to Japan. I brought my sport bike to the U.S. and enjoyed touring there though, I think that you should mention about street parking of cars. As you know, Japan doesn't have many street parking whose cars hide pedestrians and bikes from car driver's view. Actually that's one of the methods that the government has implemented for reducing road accidents. I think that car's sizes, road widths, or bike lanes is not matter but strongly believe that the fatalities have been exaecerbated by the street parking in many cases.

[@nicthedoor]

Left on the cutting room floor. I mentioned it in my video about local streets. I believe you're right. Car canyons, even when they are parked, are more dangerous and aren't the most pleasant places to roll.

[@kmch7286]

The reason why bicycles are often used in daily life in Japan, is partly because there is no suitable alternative. What if the nearest train(subway) station is 2~3km from your house, it's a bit far to walk every day and there are no bus lines. And owning and driving a car in Japan is quite expensive.

[@nicthedoor]

It is true. Owning a car is expensive here in Canada as well. The difference is that the cost is HEAVILY subsidized by everyone. If drivers were to pay even close the the real cost, our cities would too resemble something like those in Japan or Europe.

[@HsinTsungChu]

Subscribed. Thanks for your analysis! Really insightful

[@TheSpaceBrosShow]

Very good video! Having just come back from a month long cycling adventure in Japan, it too got my gears turning on what makes it work. Compared to my home, Chicago, all the cities are cycling easy mode. I'm not sure I come to every conclusion you do, but I think you're overall right on the money

[@TheSpaceBrosShow]

I will also greatly miss the ability to leave unattended quite pricey bikes without too much worry. Back to carrying around heavy chains

[@alyoshakaramazov8469]

When I lived in Kyoto I used to put my 4 yo daughter in a little seat behind me and ride her to kindergarten everyday. Last year I visited again and rode my bike around Lake Biwa, a 200 km circuit. A great ride.

[@BenDurham]

Hah! Nice masking transition at 0:57! Well done 😜 Side question: where do you get your stock footage? Or is it all shot by you (including the drone shots)?

[@nicthedoor]

When the opportunity arises haha. Most is mine. Otherwise I use Envato Elements (Japan drone footage here)

[@Stark_0310]

not surprise since Japan has the iconic mamachari bike and one of the best bike parts brands in the world which is "shimano"

[@nnov_tech_chan7891]

You did a good thing by putting summary in the brginning. Love it

[@Ostsol]

The few times I bike to work here in Canada, it's largely along a residential side street that runs close and parallel to the main thoroughfare. The only traffic on these roads is from the people who live and park their cars there and they always move on to the main road as soon as possible. Not all major streets have something similar, of course, but wide sidewalks meant for mixed bike/pedestrian traffic are also common. Like with Tokyo, this means that despite the lack of dedicated bike lanes, it's not all that difficult to get around by bike around here. Industrial areas are an exception, of course, having neither bike trails nor sidewalks. Winter also sucks, due to the paths not always being cleared very quickly. My main problem is distance. If I lived closer to work, I'd be biking every day. 20 km each way is a bit much for me, though.

[@qopiqq3629]

I'm Dutch and i would love to cycle around Japan, especially the more inland terrain. It does look like it would take some getting used to the different rules, but i'm sure i could learn them in time.

[@nicthedoor]

The hardest thing to get used to is absolutely no one signals while riding a bicycle.

[@cleasanna05]

Most the rules are not enforced, to many bikes to effectively Police everyone. If you don't do anything obviously stupid then no one will care. I ride in the street, on sidewalks, cut through parks, alleys, and pass cars. I am a agressive rider but I have good instincts and know how to be respectful. Japan is nearly bicyle anarchy as long as you don't inconvenience anyone. Just always check your route since many roads are not bike friendly, and with the hilly terrain, there are some areas you can't get through on a bike, only expressway(this is for long distance cycling). If you see the locals do something on a bike, then usually it's ok to do it as well. The biggest issue is just making sure you walk your bike in certain areas and dont park it in places that's not allowed.

[@markmoreno7295]

I have cycled in Japan in two different locations. In Yokohama/Kamakura region plus on Okinawa. I agree that while cycling infrastructure is not great, the presence of bike parking is fantastic. On the negative side is the lack of bikes on trains. On certain trains supposedly you can bring a bike but it must be in a Rinko bag- all of the bike. Certainly on bullet trains the last seat is preferred so the bike can be stowed in the luggage area or maybe just behind your seat. I carry a bike lock and use it. My bike is what I call a Papachari, a bike capable of lugging a large amount of weight. Biking around Kamakura is nice and you can see more than by walking. Going over to Yokohama is tougher but totally fine. In Okinawa I rode from Yomitan to Nago. There are roadside stops for motorists to get something to eat. These are inexpensive and are a bicyclist’s heaven. Along the way are many beaches. If you ride in summer I avoid the midday sun. Ride early or late but don’t get caught without a light. I have a Son dynamo with front a rear lights. A must see spot is Okashi Goten which is just off the main hwy 58. Actually 58 divides and one half stays near the beach but is slower while the other half takes the more direct route. I always go by the beach side. Okashi Goten is not far from the famous Manza beach resort. I often stopped at Manza to have a swim, but the cafe upstairs in Okashi Goten has a beautiful view of the water. Three seasons to potentially avoid are the rainy season, typhoon season, and possibly the peak of the humid season. Snow is a non-issue in Okinawa.

[@worawatli8952]

1:40 This might also explained why people in Osaka are so uniquely friendly and don't shy of interaction, they go out more than other places.

[@hamanakohamaneko7028]

Not really. Both Tokyo and Osaka are dominated by public transit use, but the second most common in Osaka is bikes. In Tokyo, it's walking

[@oriolm6685]

Depends on your neighborhood in Tokyo, the fact that bikes are significally more expensive than in Europe, you have to pay insurance and parking, and the fact you cannot actually park wherever you want, makes biking in Japan suck quite allot compared to Europe. On top of that, forget taking your bike in public transport (unless you cover it with very specifc things). I wanted to cycle here, but to be honest, it´s just cheaper (although sad) to take the metro. Sometime people want to make Japan cooler than it is.

[@TomHing-l1w]

I go to Japan quite often and last time I bought a Yamaha e-bike to use in Osaka, Osaka is fantastic for cycling - complete anarchy IMO. You go any which way, on the pavement,,on the road, on the right side, on the wrong side, anywhere!. Superb I love it. You can park for free in central Osaka - even a cop waved me through a red light. Quite unlike Japan's rule based system.

[@kmch7286]

Osaka is crazy and a bit dangerous lol

[@alexgrytsenko85]

US and Japan are two different animals. In the US when a kid turns 16, a parent buys a car. In Japan many adults dont have it bc it's pointless with that crazy advanced transportation.

[@1HeatWalk]

What are your thoughts of using a brompton folding bike. Do JR rail service allow you to bring bicycles when boarding the trains?

[@TH-lu9du]

In NYC, Citibike is an increasingly popular solution to both bike theft and lack of parking infrastructure, which are both severe problems in the city.

[@demonstructie]

The comment that "it's a normal thing to do, free of stigma" hits the nail on the head. Thats exactly how it is in the Netherlands too. In the US, there seems to be a barrier to entry because cycling makes you a certain 'type of person', that in the public perception goes hand in hand with donning cycling specific attire and/or espousing a whole set of wacky political beliefs. If you want widespread adoption of the bike as a normal mode of transportation, you have to divorce the pure act of cycling from any perceived baggage, none of which is necessary to just ride a bike from A to B.

[@cleasanna05]

Agreed, I ride bikes for fun and convenience, and most places I've traveled outside the US no one cared to judge me for it. In the US everything is political so I've been called many names and had assumptions made about me just for riding a bike. Its stupid

[@KyleRuggles]

Great vid once again! Hi from Canada, eh!

[@successshampoo]

You guys won't believe my Japan story. One time I forgot to lock my bike at the train station and it got stolen, but the next day it was parked at the exact same location with a "sorry" note on it. My guess is that some drunk Salaryman took it for a ride home, realized his mistake and put it back where it was. Even thieves are kind in Japan.

[@ashermanangan]

Nice vlog, thanks Nic more videos please!

[@nicthedoor]

Thanks! Will do!

[@ayder_k]

How cool is to see the familiar Kyoto streets in the video. Watching this video while living there😁. I'm about to by my first bike here, so wanted to know more about cycling here in Japan

[@tomleslie6565]

Great video! I spent 4 months cycling all around the country and it was such a pleasant experience! Even in the rural areas, there was good thoughts given to cyclists

[@irgendwer3610]

It looks like japan is treating bycicles as cars, which is nice in one hand since they are treating it like a legitimate vehicle, but bad because they are treating it in the same way as a 300kg machine that can accelerate to 40km/h in seconds

[@mikemiller7377]

The narrow and complex side streets would be better if they weren’t riddled with stop signs. Great video, BTW. 👍

[@PaulQ-gw6be]

I own e-bikes and cycle in both Japan and the US. It’s true, I do find myself more reluctant to cycle in the US because I have to carry a huge chain around, and there’s a good chance there won’t even be anything legit to chain my bike to when I get where I’m going. My wife, in Japan, is afraid my battery will get stolen, but I’ve never been worried and just keep locking the back wheel. But the threshold of effort to leave my home on a bike is so much lower in Japan!

[@CyclingSteve]

The UK has a similar law to the bell one, but it's for car horns. It does get enforced from time to time too.

[@possessedllama]

Choosing to drive over choosing the bullet train does make sense (monetarily) once you have a passenger, but the train is still more relaxing and oftentimes faster.

[@jonathansnow1886]

*Much* faster to take the train than drive. In the US the train (if there is one) is half the speed. Not counting the frequent delays.

[@possessedllama]

@@jonathansnow1886 The reason I said "oftentimes" faster is because, for example, driving between Shizuoka station and Matsumoto station has an estimate of 2 hours and 37 minutes, whereas going by train takes 3 hours and 57 minutes with the most direct route (and 2 transfers), or 3 hours and 44 minutes with a dogleg to Nagoya on the shinkansen, and then a regular train up to Matsumoto. The fastest train option gets beaten by the car by over an hour. I generally choose to drive longer distances since I'm almost always travelling with my wife, so it ends up working out cheaper (including tolls, fuel, and parking at the other end).

[@michaeltsui3435]

​@@possessedllamabut Matsumoto is an outlier from the Shinkansen.

[@possessedllama]

@@michaeltsui3435 exactly. That's why it's an example of somewhere where driving is faster than taking the train. You can still go all the way by train but not all the way by shinkansen.

[@michaeltsui3435]

@@possessedllama but with at least 2/3 of the population on the Shinkansen its certainly an outlier

[@ptys7777]

Nicely done video!

[@Ecalypse]

That bell law is so strange, it's a good way to make sure the people you're about to pass perceive you in some way before you're right on top of them going some 20-30 km/h. Here in Finland when commuting, if I see people blocking the road or just weaving from side to side a bit distracted, then I often ring my bell about 50-100 meters out and give them a friendly wave if they turn to look.

[@maidoll_fei]

In japan. You are not suppose to ride in that speed when closing to pedestrian. If you blocked by pedestrian it mean you are likly on side walk or a Pedestrian zone(shopping district). And most bike have some noise maker if you slow down and wait behind pedestrian they most likely give you way. Or you can just ask them with you mouth.

[@jameshansenbc]

Loved this, really well filmed, edited and put together video, and I always learn something new with everything you produce! Based on what you talk about at the start, it seems like making all residential roads quieter, slower, narrower and safer can be far more effective at encouraging cycling than only adding bike lanes.

[@meetmalaya]

What a simple introduction that got me to subscribe. Love your content! Keep it up 🎉

[@CasualCommuter_]

I didn't really think of the impact that the lack of theft issues had - which really plays well for the types of short and local trips you see most people do. I was super scared of using the bell and just slowed down to get room to pass, really glad I held off ringing it lol

[@ohhi5237]

bike theft is absolutely rampant in japan, cmon dont listen to tourists making yt vids with stock photos

[@mindstalk]

@@ohhi5237 One article: "In 2022, 8,654 bicycle thefts were reported in Aichi Prefecture" Aichi's population is 7.5 million people. So 8000 thefts out of maybe 5 million bikes. Under 2 in 1000.

[@AustinSersen]

If Calgary's amazing network attracted Japan's cycling mode-share, we'd be the best North American city by far to ride a bike in!

[@marumarukira]

we can only dream! but it will never happen. Calgary is too Car-centric city. it's such a messed up city for cyclist. confusing bike lane transitions and crossings, 10km and & 20km speed limit is ridiculous for such a vast land and that $500 ticket is too greedy! it make sense for short trips like japan but commuting on a 10km/20km speed on a vast & very long pathway is a joke. there's not enough bike lane in the city to travel around safely and comfortably. Driver's drives around you, high chance of near miss, honks and gives you a finger all the time. our city is a mess. i've commuted for 20yrs cycling in calgary even thru winter. 40km back & forth daily. it hasn't changed much.

[@ohhi5237]

denver is

[@drmontreal6165]

Calgary is American-style car-centric with all these highspeed "unofficial freeways" and the car-driving mentality to match. It can't compare with Montreal--best bikeways in a huge city in North America.

[@xCELESTIALNEONBLASTx]

Amazing video man!! Super informative and entertaining! :)

[@nicthedoor]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MyAcer20]

6:55 i did not see a single propper commuter bike in that footage

[@nicthedoor]

A commuter is quite different is NA

[@TheGreaterDiscussions]

Love the editing!

[@PMGTV.]

6:57 cheers back to you from across the globe my friend.

[@charlesjoshi5154]

So well made 👏👏

[@420cm]

how is this only has 90k views? you deserve more

[@irgendwer3610]

I remember going to a drivers school where they had, and I kid you not, one small corner of a wall for people to park their bikes, and it was so small but so small you had to hook your bike vertically and it was impossible to use it without scratching yours and other peoples bikes. Yet the same school had a bunch of parking lots for cars, which by the way, you are not supposed to drive to a drivers school when you don't have a license, but people look the other way.

[@Continuity]

In Japan, public transportation is quite expensive, you cannot buy a car if there is no parking space, and most parking lots are paid parking lots, so biking is semi-compulsory. So, the laws to solve the problems that arise will be things like banning double passengers or banning umbrellas. I don't feel like we are encouraging and setting norms for bicycle use for the sake of the environment and public health In Korea, the neighboring country, public transportation is cheap. There are no restrictions on purchasing a car and you can park anywhere. Therefore, compared to Japan, the proportion of bicycles for daily use is small and there are many bicycles for leisure purposes. Because there were too many cars and the streets were crowded, there was a need to encourage bicycle use and bicycle infrastructure was built. But the law has not caught up with bicycle infrastructure. There are few restrictions on bicycle use in Korea

[@rodrigosouto9502]

Japan is amazing!

[@saisamsuri]

I recently bought a Japanese mamachari (Bridgestone Albelt) and it's the perfect commuter. Aluminium step-through frame, hub gearing, carbon belt-drive, dynamo-powered lights, rack, basket, mudguards, kickstand, frame lock, handle lock and only $200 used. My only gripe with it is that it comes with an adjustable seat clamp instead of one fastened by a bolt (i.e. thieves can easily loosen it and pull out the seat AND seatpost without using any tools). I live in Singapore and every time before I go unlock my bike, I pray my seat is still there.

[@TheCyclingCEO]

Well done Nic! Thanks for the info!

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

This video was really well done (as usual!) It just further reinforces the frustrations I feel towards urbanism/bike culture in North America though… most folks here are obsessed with building the big bike highways, which require a lot of municipal transportation funds, even at the expensive of expanding rail. If we,instead, are laser focused on rebuilding our lost trolley networks, it would make cycling better here as well. First, there are some people that just don’t like cycling. I am a fit car free male in my late 20’s, but I still prefer to walk or use transit to get places. I’ve tried a couple different bikes, it’s just not for me; and I’m the perfect demographic for it… Second, it’s a lot easier to coax people onto rail than micro-mobility. Even if there is a totally protected cross city bike lane near their dwelling, they may use it for recreation when the weather is nice, but I doubt they would commute with it. However, If a trolley came by every few minutes and took them towards their work, I really think they’d be a lot more likely to try it out and probably get used to taking it for their daily needs. Once we have restored and start expanding our lost trolley networks here in North America. We will be doing so by taking back car lanes and as I just mentioned, inducing demand for rail instead. This, in combination with congestion pricing (IK about NYC don’t @ me ha), will meaningfully and greatly reduce the number of cars within our dense urbanized cores. Then cyclists can use the residential streets for cross city trips like they do in Japan as there won’t be any cars in their way. Plus, if there is enough demand for a multi use pathway on a corridor. It would be a lot easier to remove another car lane for it once we’ve built up a larger car-free coalition of active mobility users and really start shifting our culture away from automobiles! 😊👍

[@mindstalk]

Conversely: the old streetcars were built with population densities that are zoned into illegality now. It is expensive to have that level of trolley service without lots of passengers, and to get decent service you need exclusive right of way, taking lanes from cars, politically difficult. OTOH, lots of North America is developed at density that isn't really walkable but could be very bikeable, if biking was safe. And there's plenty of evidence that people will bike a lot more if it feels safe. I'm all for better transit, but for the massive amount of suburbs that are at 1000-3000 people/km2, creating a network of safe bike routes could help a lot, whether protected bike lanes or just wide sidewalks.

[@Northwest360]

Great video as always! Keep them coming. I’d love to see if there any major US cities where the mayor is prioritizing cycling like Hidalgo in Paris.

[@nicthedoor]

Well I just arrived in Montreal. One NA city where that is the case 😍 Thank you!

[@xorpgorp]

amazing video. I live in tokyo and its depressing the quality of bike infrastructure.

[@XLessThanZ]

LIke many other rules in Japan, I would not have thought single brake and using a bell the wrong way, would be infractions. Very interesting video. I still love Japan, even with all its rules. What surprised me most, the one time I visited, was how many parents travel by bike with their kids. Impressive 👍🏽

[@ohhi5237]

do you drive your car with brakes not working? just asking for my lawyer....

[@StopTryingSoHard]

This was great, I think the only things that didn't get touched on were how common electric assist/e-bike/etc terms is and how basically 100% of the population is healthy enough to ride regularly (out of necessity almost 100% of the population has to walk extensively on a daily basis due to how parking works.

[@david_r_munson]

Love those back streets. I live in Saitama City and have a 4 km commute. Used to take the main road that goes directly from my place to my job, but later figured out a route that’s composed *entirely* of small back streets. It’s safer, more fun, and even faster overall. I just wish more people (cars and bikes) would actually LOOK at intersections instead of just blasting through intersections thinking that a quick glance at the fisheye mirrors is enough.

[@Lokuzdeckel]

this is so true. there is actually like almost no infrastructure for cycling yet the design of a typical japanese neighboorhood is the reason everything is so walkable/cycleable. I love the feeling of Tokyo feeling like a small village everywhere within a giant City where you find everything. But i hope they do more steps towards cyclist but space is limited i doubt the dutch way would be possible.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

"Bicycle Biker Gang" In Australia bicycles MUST be fitted with a bell to warn pedestrians you're approaching from behind. Japanese laws are crazy arbitrary sometimes 🙄

[@deadby15]

In Japan you're not supposed to use Horn unless it is absolutely necessary, and you just don't hear it too often. People will assume: 1. There is some grave situation related to safety 2. The driver is a Yakuza or something.

[@davidhakes5141]

In the U.S., automobiles have been getting wider, because the automotive seat loads have been getting wider.

[@adrianli7757]

Canadian here who moved to Japan (and since moved back). I've cycled a lot in both countries, and I will say the thing that I hated most about cycling in Japan was how cyclists would whiz by as I was walking on a narrow pathway. But also how fuzzy the rules were regarding whether we could ride on the road vs the pedestrian walkways. It seems that you could do both, but it's not clear which is preferred which was always kind of frightening to me as someone who grew up in Toronto with clear rules about what is and isn't allowed. But that reflects a lot on a lot of "unwritten rules" in Japanese culture that have significant pros and cons. All in all, I enjoyed living and cycling in both countries.

[@skrt.]

How do you get your camera to be so stable while on a bicycle? What equipment do you use?

[@Carbaminohemoglobin]

Great video ! How can you have such low subscriber count ? Well at least it just went up by one

[@lou_7745]

Wait till bro discovers cycling in the Philippines

[@HsinTsungChu]

What is it like in th Philippines?

[@kzm-cb5mr]

@@HsinTsungChu Basically non-existent infrastructure, then there's also some animosity between bikers and car owners. Both road/mountain bikes and mamachari are popular.

[@pabloguillen5915]

Great video! Just a couple of things. Commuter car parks are stations in Japan are for bicycles, not cars. People ride around their neighborhood and to the station, where they take the train for longer trips. Long distance commuting by bike is rare, dangerous (as it involves busy roads) and actively discourage by the government. Also, no bikes on trains. They take too much space. I think that is the best use of cycling.

[@NOLAPicasso]

Who was that band at the end?

[@Loppy2345]

That law about using the bell in a non-emergency situation is a joke, I thought the main point of the bell is to make pedestrians aware of where you are before you get there and not just half a second before you are about to run into them.

[@NeverTooTiredToRideTwoTyres]

Yeah in Australia we have "Warn 🚸 When Approaching" signs

[@J_CART3R]

11:44 - Jaywalking in front of Police car. 🤣🤣

[@fearsomebunny]

9:20, the car slowing down to let the cyclist go first tells you everything you want to know about Asia. In the US, the car will likely not slow and likely won't even notice the cyclists and thus the much high fatality rate for cyclist. Nevermind some Americans even look for group of cyclists to mow down on purpose...

[@HaploPrime]

know about Japan*. There are many asian countries where this does not happen.

[@loc1123]

greetings from germany. here we combine the worst of both worlds. still lacking bike infrastructure, bike riders ignoring traffic rules (sometimes understandably), lots of public transport (buts its unreliable and usually slower than cars) and a long grown car dependency. so you can actually live without a car but its not great.

[@nicthedoor]

As far as I have seen it's way better than North America. I have only really spent time in the Eifel and I did get to ride on some really nice inter-city paths.

[@watsinurfreezer8789]

@@nicthedoorthe public transportation is really really unreliable in germany you cant depend on it to be on time you really cant but the biking infrastructure in my city is very good generelly the cities in my vicinity

[@johnnevada46]

The absence of on-street parking in Japan seems to make a huge difference.

[@Arkanthrall]

Bicycle lanes on major roads are lacking and are often used by scooters or as a free temporary parking spot. I wish they were separated from the roads, but there's never enough room to achieve that.

[@cefnonn]

Is wearing a cycling helmet while cycling compulsory in Japan?

[@drmoynihan]

We've been to Japan many time but I have never ridden a bike there. My friends all do - mainly riding to the train station. They also have 2 bikes - one fancy one and one that doesn't stand out - because of bike borrowing (theft?). Is bike theft a big deal in Japan. In our college town bikes are regularly stolen.

[@Funcentric]

Good video, but in America bicyclists legally are considered motorists meaning they are required to follow DMV laws. They are not accelerated pedestrians. Also if a car hits you at 40mph, it won't matter if it's a Mini Cooper or a BMW X7. The outcome for the rider is still the same.

[@kaynesheenan]

great job on this video~

[@Jeffcrocodile]

The way everyone rides on the road without any head protection is insane.

[@EvendimataE]

in the mid 90s, an illegal staying guy i know got deported for riding a bike without proper reflectors...LOL

[@yellownoiseclub]

I'm shocked u have to pay for bike parking, never seen that in the uk

[@mnekobunn2606]

As a japanese I'm enjoyed to see your video More cycle to work and school than any Car and train when it comes to urban area in Osaka, Kyoto Bcz there aren't many mountains or hills in the town And then we hate catching a jam-packed train Tokyo is ridiculous I don’t tend to drive very often, so let go of my car last year First of all, it's a damn narrow road 2.3million traffic lights and 32thousand railway crossing are extremely annyoing And Japanese urban house don't have front yard, it's danger I ended up riding 29erMTB main and 1,300cc moto Information for cycling in japan Shimano company headquarters in Osaka Bicycle can travel with you assembled in train Wakayama since 2024.1 Tokushima-Awaji island Onaruto bridge cycling road has launched 2027 This way is equally good shimanami kaido

[@nicthedoor]

ありがとうございます。

[@TrueCommunities]

If I visit I will be sure not to hold my umbrella while biking. I do this often in Canada.

[@andyo1872]

Owning a car and fees for driver's license is very expensive in Japan. You need to have a place to park your car and don't forget to have legal document to prove it. That's why cycling is so popular in Japan.

[@GrafRamolo]

Most important question, do they have bike parks?

[@LGVRhin-Rhone]

yep! I don't know if they're more or less common than in North America but they exist

[@jonathansnow1886]

I rode on a really nice one in Nagoya. BUT, you had to get off your bike and walk 30 meters on each (5K) lap. It's just how it is.

[@GrafRamolo]

@@jonathansnow1886 what? Why?

[@mezmerism107]

Thief in Japan is surely not absent. I remember my friend lost his bike during winter while he park his bike in the side of a store he's working at. He walked through the cold winter night while cursing the thief lol.

[@eddenoy321]

I have almost always loved Japan for this reason. But as i have aged i would never ride in the street anymore. I just get off the bike and walk it in crowded areas. Then get back on when I get to side street with few people.