Bike Parking

In Tokyo, we've noticed that there are regulated bike parking. Frequently, stores, offices, and residential buildings have built in areas for bikes. When we were looking for apartments, bike parking was often listed as part of the rent. But, we wouldn't consider Tokyo biker friendly. There are few designated roads, where often bike riders scoot around pedestrians on the same sidewalk. The bikes are the heavy, cruiser-type ones with sturdy baskets and child seats. Surprisingly, often the bike riders are mothers who are biking their child (or dog!) to school and around. Most of the Japanese take the public transportation and are not "walkers," as in the sense of walking for pleasure but more out of necessity. Here are a couple shots of different bike parking we've seen.

Bike Parking Areas

space efficient!

typical bike parking by a store

bike parking area built under a pavilion