An Ode to the glorious Mamachari

Oh, how little I would have seen on my recent Japan trips without a bicycle. With a slight mobility impairment, crowded buses and some accommodations away from public transport hubs, the bicycle, often provided by my accommodation, became a priceless companion.

Even in 2023, when I studied in Nagasaki, I wish I would have had a bicycle for my university commute. But the bicycle really came into its own when, a year later, my mobility got so bad that I was unable to walk more than five minutes without severe pain stopping me.All the while, I was okay on a bicycle. Not blazing along, but pedalling comfortably.

So, I borrowed a bicycle. I wanted comfort, and more than anything else, I wanted safety. That included getting on and off the bicycle comfortably. 

I knew from cycling at home that the only bicycle I could get on and off safely was a low-rise ladies bicycle like the one inherited from my late granddad. He rode it until his death at 86, and I have been using it since for grocery shopping and commuting to the train station.

What is a mamachari, then?

A mamachari is an everyday bicycle, and most people in Japan own or use one.

It is of simple design, usually a ladies or unisex frame, single speed, three gears if it’s fancy, mudguards, sturdy tyres, a pop-out stand, dynamo-powered lights, and a built-in lock. It definitely has a basket, either at the handlebars, or mounted to the rack.

They are not to be ridden in a sporty way. They are to get you from A to b. Which doesn’t stop some people blazing through the streets on one, but that is a different matter. They can be a bit clanky and creaky, but i never had one break down on me.

To be honest, I am not usually the mamachari type. I have five bicycles, and use three of them. I accumulated over a long period of commuting, the mountain-biking boyfriend, the randonneur boyfriend, and finally, a beautiful older touring bike which mostly fits my personal cycling style of semi fast day touring. I inherited my mamachari from my grandfather and use it for grocery shopping and commuting to the train station. But cycling on a mamachari on a daily basis? Too exhausting.

In Germany, the mamachari equivalent would perhaps the the “station bike” or “shopping bike” – a bicycle you are happy to leave at the train station, that works well but is not fancy, a workhorse bike. The Dutch bikes that have become quite the fashion here aren’t quite the same – rather a fashion statement, and they are way heavier.

I rented a mamachari and didn’t look back

In many Japanese tourist destinations, you can easily sightsee on a bicycle. Maybe not central Osaka or Tokyo, but I cycled in Kyoto and found it the best way to sightsee. I also cycled in pretty every smaller destinations I have been to, such as Sakai, Sasayama and Shingu. Sometimes I rented a bicycle from a bike a shop or the tourist information, sometimes the bicycle came with my accommodation. In every case, the bicycle I picked was a mamachari, and was excellent to get around for sightseeing.

I also have to add that I have been struggling with mobility issues forth last five years, really struggling to walk 10k steps a day. having a bicycle was really saving my legs and helped me to see what i wanted to see without having to resort to organised tours or taxi.

Then, I finally had surgery last year, and was on crutches for ages. My first totally cruth-free attempt was sightseeing in Kyoto, where I rented a bicycle from my guesthouse – and i could hardly take the crutches with me, could I? So while I had been going on some very limited crutch-free walks the days before, I managed my first relatively wobble-free walks off the bicycle in ages. I was so elated by finally cycling again, I think there were a lot of happy endorphins involved, too, but this is when I really grew to love the humble bicycle. I was finally on my legs again, with the help of a bicycle!

But of course, cycling abroad comes with a few cautionary notices.

First, it is not always a good idea to cycle with a freshly operated leg. A fall, and you may destroy all the hard work. I was very good for months until I could no longer bear to be without my beloved bicycle.

Some Japanese cities, like Sakai, the home of Shimano, are perfect for cycling – broad cycle paths, and very good rental bicycles from the Tourist Office as soon as you step off the train.

Other Japanese cities I visited were not so obviously cycling-friendly. But wherever I went in Japan, I found a cycling culture, but not as I knew it. 

Firstly, there are rarely any dedicated cycling paths, so you will be cycling on the road. That means you need good breaks and may need to get off and on the bike frequently.

Cycling helmets? A bit of a novelty. A bicycle shop will usually rent them out though.

Unless your destination is very hilly, the three well-set gears usually allow for cycling very comfortably.

A sturdy stand is mounted to the bike, so you can park anywhere – just make sure you are actually permitted to park your bike there.

I do not recommend cycling at night, but if you do, pretty much on every bike with the exception of one, the bicycle lighting was very bright and worked well. 

And should you do any shopping on the way, there is always a basket. I am not a big fan of the front basket, as it makes the handlebars slightly unstable especially when I dump my camera backpack there, but you can take an extra back and distribute weight more evenly. 

How to get your hands on a mamachari

If you are super lucky, then your accommodation will have a small stable of mamachari at hand to rent out to their guests.

As many of my recent trips centred around the Kansai region, I have some recommendations for very budget-friendly places to stay that come with bicycle rental. 

The small Guesthouse Higurashi-Sou in the Nishijin area near Nijo Castle offers free bicycles to all their guests. 

Another really great accommodation is Guesthouse Soi, located in easy walking distance to Kiyomizudera. You can rent a bicycle for 500 Yen per day, and the bicycles are very decent and have three speeds.

 If you prefer something a bit fancier or perhaps an electric assisted bicycle, I suggest you rent from one of the many rental shops. Just make sure you will be able to park it somewhere safe. I did all my bicycle rentals outside my accommodation with J-Cycle and really recommend them. they are conveniently located off a major bus route near Gojo and Karasuma roads, they speak some English, and the bicycles are great quality and well maintained – from a humble single-speed mamachari for 800 JPY to sporty touring bike for 1400JPY -and electric bicycles, too.

The Prince Smart Inn Kyoto Sanjo near City Hall has plenty of free safe bicycle parking. The hotel, if you can get it for a good price, is new, and although it’s more like a business hotel in style, rooms are a decent size with lovely if simple furnishings.

A little further out, Hotel Ninja Black near the Imperial Palace might another good choice, although I have not stayed there myself yet. This small and quiet hotel shows off a pared-down elegance, with rather plain modern elegant Western style rooms, bicycle parking and bicycle rental. You’d be in a quieter area, and the nearby Oike and Karasuma roads have dedicated cycle paths, making cycling a little easier if you are not an experienced cyclist.

A few words on Cycling in Kyoto

Cycling in the countryside or even in very cyclist-oriented cities like Sakai is a breeze, but Kyoto appears to be in a league of its own. Of course, Kyoto is a major city, with traffic to match. Kyoto also has several universities and therefore a pretty large cycling population.

As a general rule, you are to ride on the street. This means you share a lane with cars, who often come dangerously close, especially on busy roads like Higashioji-dori (the big one in Higashiyama). There may be bicycle lanes marked on the road, but it just means you are allowed to ride the bicycle there, and the lane is not exclusive to cyclists.

Some larger roads like Oike-dori and Gojo-dori have dedicated cycling lanes set away from the rods. and then, the majority of roads in Kyoto is narrow one-way streets that bicycles may use in both directions – something to pay attention to, because with the left hand traffic, one-way system, and adding pedestrians into the equation, it can get a bit confusing quickly, so you have to have to concentrate to ride safely.

Generally speaking, early mornings just after sunrise is the best time to cycle. The roads except the major ones are really quiet, and you may have a lot of space even in very touristy areas like Gion. The pictures above and below are of tatsumi Bridge and the lovely shrine next to it, which are rammed with tourists and photo shoots in the day time.

Another lovely bicycle route suitable for beginners is the riverside cycle path along Kamogawa.

Stay on the Higashiyama side of the river for a continuous easy ride tarmac cycle path all the way from near Kyoto Station to Shimogamo Shrine and further along. Ride safely and use a helmet. And remember some larger downtown (shopping) streets as well as Shijo-dori leading to Yasaka Shrine are banned for bicycles during the day. And always, always park your bicycle in an approved bicycle parking area.

The Small Print

I visited Japan several times between 2004 and this year and have cycled in the Kansai region many times. I paid for all services I used in this review myself. This post contains some affiliate links to Booking.com, which means I may get a small commission if you use any of these links.

Thank you for reading! 

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