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Getting Around Tokyo on a Shared Bicycle
August 07, 2015
I rode from Roppongi Hills to the base of Tokyo Tower riding on one of Minato-ku's community cycles.
Before using one of the community cycles, you must create an account on the service's website. Once you've registered, you simply go to the website using your smartphone or other device and select the bike you would like to use.
The account creation page is only in Japanese, but there is a helpful explanation of how to complete the registration. Usage explanation is also available on the bicycle itself.
You may have noticed that since last fall, fleets of red, mechanically assisted bicycles have been popping up in certain areas of Tokyo. This new bike sharing service is currently offered in Minato-ku, Chiyoda-ku and Koto-ku, as well as various other cities across Japan. I decided to see for myself what it's all about, so recently I checked out a bike from the docking port at Roppongi Hills.
Before using one of the "community cycles," you must create an account on the service's website, using your credit card. The account creation page is only available in Japanese, but there is a helpful explanation of how to complete the registration on the website. Once you've registered, you simply go to the website using your smartphone or other device and select the bike you would like to use. You will immediately be emailed an access code that you use to unlock the bike, and then you're on your way!
I am used to biking around Tokyo-in fact, it's my main mode of transportation-but I had never before ridden a mechanically-assisted bike. My first reaction was surprise at how heavy it was-just picking it up slightly off the ground to turn it around seemed like quite a feat! But once I had adjusted the seat and was riding down the street, it no longer seemed heavy or clunky. And going up hills was a breeze, even in the heat of summer!
I rode from Roppongi Hills to the base of Tokyo Tower, where there is a new docking port that opened just last month. From there, I rode to Toranomon Hills, where I stopped for a coffee before checking out a different bike and heading back to Roppongi Hills where I had started. I had one of the community cycles checked out for a total of just under an hour, and it only cost me 200 yen. Tokyo has always been convenient, but this is an even faster and easier way to get around for relatively short distances, especially when you're in a hurry. The service seems to be quite popular, too, as when I returned my bike to Roppongi Hills, it was the only one at that station. Hopefully more bikes and docking stations will be added soon.
Kelly