For five years in Tokyo I never thought I needed a bicycle. I always thought that if I needed to go anywhere I can just walk to the nearest station and take a train/subway. The public transportation system in Tokyo is so extensive that since I arrived as a wide-eyed youngster with a pocket full of dreams, I was very satisfied with going about my day-to-day life just walking and taking trains in Tokyo.
It never occurred to me that I could be completely ignoring an aspect of living in Tokyo by simply choosing not to use a bicycle. I’m not writing this article to try to convince people to go out and buy a bicycle right away; this is a look at a long-term expat’s reflection on getting the most out of your time in Tokyo (whatever that means to you and your specific circumstance).
When I was living in a share house in Kodaira, the manager of the house lent me a bicycle since the house was about 15 minutes away from the nearest station. I still decided against using one because of excuses like “then I’d have to park it and everything” or “the sidewalks are so narrow I don’t think it’s a good idea for me.” And I’ll write a bit more about how I feel about these aspects of riding a bike in Tokyo, but I just want to point out that early on I was not on board with riding a bicycle in Tokyo. (And this was in west Tokyo where there is more space for stuff like this and fewer cars!)
The COVID-19 pandemic forced me to rethink my transportation habits for the better. I purchased a bicycle in February, unrelated to the spread of COVID-19, but the timing was oddly coincidental. So much so that perhaps it’s one of those instances where I’ll look back at what happened and call it fate or destiny.
I only planned on using my bicycle for the occasional ride to work or for running errands around my neighborhood. But, when the state of emergency was declared in Tokyo there were a lot of worries about taking the train or subway – especially for non-essential purposes. Since I decided to avoid public transportation during the state of emergency, I ended up using my bicycle a lot more over the past few months than I anticipated.
In doing so, I feel like I’ve reconnected with the city in a new way. It’s weird to say that a bicycle has “opened up” a new perspective on how I view Tokyo since I still would be able to get to my destinations using public transportation just fine. One of the things about choosing to live in another country as an adult is that it can be harder to gauge our self-growth when our peers do not share the same cultural background as ourselves. This is not a criticism of being an immigrant or expat, just an observation from a semi-long-term foreign resident in Japan.
I know that there are many layers to Tokyo that I haven’t uncovered, and I feel kind of foolish to have let my past self deny me the opportunity to experience Tokyo on two wheels. I understand some of you will think “This guy is being overly dramatic,” but to me this represents getting over a roadblock that I put in place in my own mind for the longest time. I kept telling myself that I didn’t need to use a bicycle or that it wouldn’t make a difference, even when I was gifted a bicycle from my share house manager.
It can be difficult to adjust to life in Japan, but you can take your time here to explore your interests and continue to grow as a human. What I’m getting at is that it is normal to feel a bit overwhelmed with learning a new language and culture, but there are ways to connect with the city (or countryside, depending on where you live in Japan) that you shouldn’t lock yourself out of.
My new favorite coffee roaster is a bike ride away. A sweet old grandma owns a tiny shop where she roasts coffee and it is now my go-to for getting coffee beans. It’s the best coffee I’ve had in Tokyo. Close to me is also a riverfront cycling path which I’ve found is a fantastic way to get some exercise without needing a gym.
Living in Tokyo doesn’t mean you have to follow the paths of others or that you need to fit into a certain frame that makes it easy for others to categorize who you are as a person. There are spaces in Tokyo and Japan where you can explore individuality, it just might take some time to find the right community for you.
Lead photo: Scott Kouchi