My friend lived in Japan for a few years. Her bike got stolen once by a drunk man who needed to get home. He returned it the next day with some money to make up for the inconvenience.
Yeah, here in the Netherlands the electric bikes are really popular with elderly people. And it's really frustrating cuz when it's really windy and you're sweating like an seal them old peeps be passing by like 'ho ho ho bye suckers!' 😖😭
I think Jun told a story of when he biked to school with an umbrella and it was really windy out so the umbrella turned inside out and he hit the ditch I think lmao
So, I broke the law in Japan for the entire time I was there, LMAO! I didn't have my bike registered, it was left there by the person who rented my apartment, so I can't believe that I rode around daily and never been stopped by the cops, lol. I never used a light during the night, and I always biked using one hand holding an umbrella when it rained. I'm a rebel!
chigasaki06 You got lucky because one can be arrested for having an unregistered bike or not having it registered at their name (police officers would then assume the person stole the bike, that's why). Also, I understood why our teachers told us it was important to have a light at night because it can be dangerous to inter in collision with pedestrians or other bikes in dark alleys/roads. More than once, I was riding my bike and met other Japanese on their bike without a light. I couldn't see them at all since there was no lights around (luckily, I could hear them coming towards me). (Btw, my bike had one of those "pedal and it will lit" light.)
wow hard stuff! Here in Germany it is common to walk your dog while riding the bike and this would be rebel too, if you would try this in Japan (unless you have no dog...) xDDD
chigasaki06 , no matter where you live, having a light or 2 for your bike at night is essential to your safety, and may prevent serious accidents with motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists.
I agree. At the time I was young and didn't really think too much about safety. In hindsight, I definitely would have attached lighting to my bike, along with getting it registered, lol.
We're doing a bit of a TL;DR and talking about bike culture in Japan, what the process of getting a bike is like, what mamacharis are, and how you can park your bike without getting a ticket.
Yeah I live in the midlands and even in the rural areas i'd say that biking on any kind of main road or regularly used road at certain times is very dangerous. Though there is definitely an issue with bikers going out (especially at night) with not enough lights on 60/70mph roads and scaring the life out of drivers. I find it pretty horrible to think that any driver would be okay with knocking a cyclist down. I know if I was the driver that even if no one was hurt it would change me a lot.
Did you find a way to get it shipped? I've been trying to import one since forever, i was ready to pay the premium only to find out that the forwarder wont ship the battery.
I've watched almost every single video of yours (some of them multiple times) and I can say unhesitatingly that you're the most amazing and positive people I've ever seen. Even though your videos mostly consist of you eating and being complete dorks, the way they make me feel is undescribable??? I just feel so warm inside (cheesy much). I wish you would upload more videos but I'm fully aware that making and editing them is a pain in the ass so I can't blame you. Please keep up and don't let yourselves get brought down by haters (if you have any lol). Love you~ (Polish fanboy)
Yes!! It's especially popular with the older generation, I often see more electric assist bikes at a bike parking than normal bikes :P (and lazy 19yr old me has one too, I should get more active)
I don't think they are as common as in Japan, but they are popping up everywhere. Biking also a normal thing in the Netherlands, everyone learns to ride a bike as a kid and we also do almost everything with it.
J3 Really? I have bever been to a place where you had to pay to stall your bike? Only when you park it inside a building where they "guard" it for you so it can't get stolen. But I am from the countryside so.... maybe that's why.
I love your hair and lip color Martina! I love how in the shot in the parking lot had an actual momma and a cute baby getting ready to ride off in their mom bike! I wish I could ride my bike to school but where I live it's not very safe :/ no sidewalks and only super busy high way style roads
Cloudlockheart Wouldn't it blow your mind if there was only like 5 bikes in all of the Philippines and they just kept getting stolen over and over again.
This video was interesting because it's not something most UA-camrs living in Japan would talk about, but it's such a huge deal! I had to learn this all by myself when I first came here, and I'm sure so many people want to learn about dealing with bikes if the decide to come live here. I do have a comment regarding the bike theft. I live in Souka City, which is one of the first cities when entering Saitama from Tokyo. It's basically the suburbs before you get into the deep rural areas of Saitama. My family and I live in the "danchi (団地)" which are what my boyfriend refers to as the "ghettos" of Japan. He was born and raised there and he always makes a point to make sure I'm careful with my bike in these danchi areas. He has had not only his bicycles stolen, but also a motorcycle as well. According to him, not only do people steal these bicycles and motorcycles (in these areas) which are always parked outside and accessible to anyone, but people will get into these apartments and so on. I guess this is a note more for people living in the more run-down areas to just be careful. I've seen people double lock their bikes (one being the key that Simon & Martina showed, and another is a tire lock). Just a heads up for those moving into the cheaper areas around Tokyo ^^!
Pay to park a.. bike? That's weird, why does it cost to park? In Sweden there's places to park your bike all over the place, and if there aren't any places where you are, you just put it wherever. Forever. For free.
Fi X I also think it has to do with revenue. I mean when people report stolen bikes and whatnot, someone's got to pay to look for them. And I'm assuming registration is a one off payment, and if everyone is riding a bike, whose going to pay for the continued maintenance of the roads/sidewalks? I've noticed the streets in Japan are clean as hell, someone has to be paid to keep them like that.
Maybe there is more room in Swedish cities for the number of bikes per square kilometer? Maybe in Sweden the sidewalks are wider, or not quite as many people using every cm of space? Bikes locked to sign posts make the sidewalks a little narrower.
I loved this video! It's more of a slice-of-life video that people can relate to but still be fascinated by, since it'll be a long time before I can enjoy travelling or do pricier things like eat at a Michelin star restaurant. Thank you Simon and Martina
It's really dangerous in some parts of London where I live to ride my bike ( it look expensive and new) I got chased by a gang just so they could take it from me. I love London but it can be a crazy place sometimes.
I once heard on TV that London is the unsavest place to ride a bike and that around every 7 accident on streets was caused by someone riding a bike and got hit buy a truck or car... they even brought up a story about a Spanish prince thsat got killed by a car while he was riding a bike...
No I don't ment this... They mentioned a spanish prince wich died in 2012 who studied at an University in London (Sorry if something I remember is wrong about but I heard this on German TV in an documentation as they brought up an German who died in London as an tourist by riding a bike^^)
I really enjoyed this video! My partner is a track cyclist predominantly (but also into road cycling) and we currently have 5 bikes in our house (2 are mine and the rest are his). I think bike culture in Perth, Australia is definitely there but you have to look more for it. I don't think many people use bikes for running errands or grocery's (not at least where I've lived) but lots use road bikes for work commutes and have weekend riding groups. The velodrome he rides at has such a great community too and is so welcoming to all different types of people who are passionate.
I saw a video of a Japanese nurse who said "Have you noticed how people with fat fingers have big nostrils? That's because every human has to be able to pick his nose."
I parked my bike illegally, and I saw a police officer writing tickets for a few bikes nearby. I quickly hopped on my bike and rode the opposite direction as fast as I could. This was in Toyohashi. Returning back to the States, I miss my Japanese bike so much. I used it for everything and I just loved taking rides on the weekend to wherever. I'm also glad that you solved the mystery about the power bikes. Because a 70 year old man definitely beat me biking up a hill one day. I just assumed that he was incredibly strong.
So this is kind of a weird topic, but could you guys do a video about homelessness in japan? You never seem to see anyone just laying on the street there it seems so where do they go?
Ana Banana Some were chased from the streets were there are tourists (politicians don't want Japan to have a bad image) and they mostly live were people like themselves are. I remember my teacher in Japan telling us there are some train stops to avoid if we don't want to get into trouble... There are some popular soup too in Japan, but most foreigners aren't aware of that, just like they aren't aware of high poverty in Japan (poverty is not always obvious in Japan, but it exists and unfortunately, it's harder on women :( ). (Ref.: I lived in Japan with Japanese for almost a year.)
Ana Banana sometimes you can see homeless people setting up camp at night time in some subway stations, but generally homeless people in Japan are mostly invisible
Ana Banana A lot of homeless people end up forced into certain areas so you don't tend to see them all over the place as much. I lived in Nishinari in Osaka and there are a lot of homeless people there. There's a good blog post about it: www.tofugu.com/japan/nishinari/ and here: www.tofugu.com/japan/homeless-in-japan/ :)
there's actually plenty of poverty and crime in Japan but everyone seems to kinda ignore it, probably to make Japan seem like some sort of utopia to foreigners.
LOVE this kind of video. I find myself extroadinarily fascinated with "everyday life" in Japan, and riding your bike everywhere is a major aspect of that. It's like being (for a foreigner) a kid again!
I saw a bunch of your old videos and I was curious for like 2 years of who was the guy with Martina, I thought it was a guy that you meet in Korea that help you with your videos and Simon was filming, and when you move to Japan the guy stay in Korea and now Simon is in front of the camera with Martina. Seriously, it took me 2 years to figure out that that guy WAS Simon! He looks so diferent through the years.
Unfortunately biking in South Florida is a bit dangerous. We are #1 in the country for bike vs vehicle collisions and unfortunately quite a few end in fatality. I can't wait to ride a bike in Japan this april. I've checked into several ride share rentals.
Elizabeth Welch Yeah biking in S. Florida is dangerous, a family friend of mine was training for the Iron Man competition and was hit by a car and suffered a broken arm and leg damage (which luckily healed okay). Needless to say, there's a lot of cases where people would even hit a biker and NO ONE will stop to make sure they are okay as is the case with this one college student from my college, sadly he died and could have lived if someone called 911 in time.
Davis has a very similar set of rules, bike light, BUI, registration. Not sure about the umbrella thing, but if you listen to music using earphones you can only have one earbud in.
6:50 in Italy "Go on and do your business and when you come back you'll find a beautiful potato waiting for you! Your bike is probably on sale in some illegal market somewhere by that time".
They really do use bikes a lot in Japan ! I was surprised about that too. In Quebec we dont use bike that much. In Asakusa, they have a lot of bike parking spots (even underground one). There is also signs on the sidewalk to indicate the pedestrian and bikes parts of the sidewalk. There is also designated space for bike to cross the road. ( one part is the pedestrian crossway, the other is bike crossway). Well almost no body respect it to I almost got killed a few time by a bike ....but XD. I'm also amazed by the bikers skills. I mean, sometime the sidewalk is full of pedestrians, but a mom or dad with kids on the bike will zig zag between the pedestrians, slow down when someone is walking infront ...I dont have that skill for sure ! o-o
Maple & Tempura Like my Japanese teacher once told us in Japan, it's kind of ironic that Japan can be dangerous for pedestrians and biking people since there are so many of them... XD
BTW the bike crosswalks are being phased out in Tokyo, replaced with blue chevrons in the road. The reason is that you are not supposed to ride on the sidewalk in the first place, and putting the crosswalks there seems to be encouraging it. If you look around, you will see that whenever crosswalks are repainted now, the pedestrian part is widened to cover the part that was previously the bicycle lane, and then they add the chevrons to the left side of the road. This has been going on for several years now, but I expect it will take several more years to be complete.
There was this time when I was maybe 15-16 years old. I had gotten all sorts of bike parts from other bikes that broke and what not. With my mother's help we put together a new bike! It was really cool and a fun project for me. I was able to paint it with spray paint because the original frame was a little worn. So the day I finished putting it all together I took it for a ride to test it out. It was so amazing! I had fun doing it and it made me feel accomplished. I brought it into the entryway of my house and let it sit there in the porch. Closed the door and the next day I went to ride it and it was gone. A week later I seen someone riding my bike after they sprayed it black. So they watched me build a bike from the ground up and when it was finished broke into my porch and stole it. I was so upset and didn't have another bike until just recently. I moved and had to leave that bike behind so...no more biking for meep. TLDR: Built a bike from the ground up and someone broke into my front porch to steal it when it was all finished.
I used to bike all day everyday. I have a 1985 schwinn Madison fixed gear. It's pink and white ,original racing colors from the 80s, and full campy parts. She is beautiful and hangs on my wall. Since all of my surgeries I can't ride a bike comfortably anymore, but I do look back on my time and greatly treasure it. Pittsburgh PA represent!
Honestly I'm not even mad that the quantity of videos has gone down because you guys definitely made up for that for drastic increase in quality! Love your vids!
*PHEW* Thank you! We're trying to make better videos for you all and something like this video, we could have just filmed in our house, but we spent the time to plan out interesting shots and locations. Took a lot longer to film, but I think it is more interesting than just a plain talking video. :)
We have to have lights too on our bikes in Denmark. We have to pay a fine if your lights is too small or if you don't have any lights at light. It think it needs to be visible at least 10 meters.❤
Erin It's not an inbligation to do so. However, accidents happen more often than you might think. I lived there almost a year and it can be dangerous, especially at night, but even during day time. Car drivers can be dangerous for pedestrians and biking people (they don't really pay attention, I know some guys who were hit by a car... O_O;; Luckily, they only had a leg broken and a sore body, so they didn't stay in hospital for too long...).
+JCXP123 nope here in Germany neighter. There are people with helmets (but mostly just the kids) and they want you to wear one, but most people don't use one and many people in Germany (mostly the women) be like: "Ah no, that would ruin my hairstyle..." hahaha
Me too! Always thought that Japanese mom are SUPER MOMS, with kids and grocery and everything on the bike. This video is so informative and awesome! Thank you Simon and Martina!
Simon and Martina thank you so much for replying! wow i have been watching you guys for like five years so exciting! i personally want to challenge myself to have the experience. and now i might sell my car for a mamachari! Low key i want to to adventure travel vlogs, you guys have really inspired me and i have learned so much from your production techniques and videos! I more than likely will, i'll just be by myself and that makes me nervous. Did you have to get pet visas for meemers and spudgey? beside my own logistics, there's looks expensive but i don't know how to not get ripped off for jobs and things :o)
This video was so informative and enjoyable! I wish they had this bike culture in more places than just Japan! Also, Martina, you are just rocking that scarf. So fab!
Love the bikes 🚴 in Japan 🇯🇵. When we bought ours in the Island of Okinawa. We took the bike 🚴 home 🏡 the same day. It was the best day ever. The bike has all the bells and whistles on it. The bell 🔔, the basket, the lock 🔐 and the lights all built into it. So when you pedal the lights turns on when you turn on the switch. When we move back to the US, I couldn't pet with it so we took it back with us. :) it's nice 👍🏽 knowing that so far I'm the only one ☝🏽 in our neighborhood that has a Mamachari. I love it.
Simon and Martina you should do a being sick in Japan edition since you guys only made one in Korea. I loved it when you guys talked about being sick in Korea because when I was sick I would watch your guys's video and it made me feel a lot better🤒
I've never commented on a video before and I've probably seen a huge chunk your videos! Just wanted to say thanks for all of the lovely videos and the positivity! I can't wait to see all of your new adventures in Japan! p.s. I love all dogs to! :)
cycling in London is like a high adrenaline sport. When I commuted by bike, I'd have a near miss almost every time I headed out despite following the rules of the road ridiculously closely (I'm a cautious tortoise) and wearing all the high vis and mostly sticking to cycle lanes. Theft is very intense as well. Once caught someone angle grinding my bike lock... that was awkward... Really happy to see that other cities in the world are more laid back to a lovely way to travel!
Those are the same price. :) All the places we've used fluctuate in cost around $1.00 so not very pricey. The only thing is that indoor parking tends to fill up quickly :P
bemyvforever What's dumb is that I usually only want to park for an hour or so, yet I have to pay the entire 6 hours worth. At least the first 15 mins is free.
Thank you guys sooooo much for this video! I went to Japan in 2016 and I saw a lot of bikes being used. At the time, I had already begun the process of transferring to a uni in Japan that I will be attending in 2018 (International Affairs majors where u at?). I knew right away I would need to get a bike but was unsure of the process. I thank you guys for making this video - so thank you!
Side note: when we were filming this, we ran into other UA-camrs at RyuuuTV and did some food porn with them. Check it out! ua-cam.com/video/mPnmH_u-X_E/v-deo.html
Hi, I would like to express how grateful I am to be able to meet you guys on the internet that, your video helped me go through some of the darkest days of my time. I had lose my full time job and had to worked as a part time for around 2 years, and those days is so difficult for me that my depression come and haunted me again, I considered to give up my life for a few times. Thanks for giving me a short period of happiness and laughters as a mental pick up in those days. I recently get my full time job back and had worked for a week! Thank you again! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!
Hi Simon and Martina im kinda new here and i love.ur videos soo muchh im learning a lot of things about japan and more pls response if you see this that gonna make my day 😀😉
Wooooow! Finally found a video regarding biking in Japan, the place that we will be staying offers free use of their bike, so this is going to be helpful. Thanks Simon and Martina :)
but just because they are not obligatory doesn't mean people shouldn't wear them! :( I really hope Simon and Martina would start using helmets for their own safety... they are lovely people and I wish for them to be safe in traffic!
And that is stupid. Just because most people somewhere don't wear/don't have to wear helmets, doesn't impact the fact that they really SHOULD wear them. A helmet can save your life. A helmet can save you from severe brain damage. And I think being the odd one out there or having a flat hair etc. because of a helmet is a small price to pay for staying alive. I just wish more people would realize this :(
Nelli Toivonen I think a helmet is handy, but in country's like the Netherlands it isn't needed because we have bike lanes everywhere. It rarely happens that someone falls off his bike. I think a helmet can help allot in places where there aren't any bike lanes and the traffic isn't paying attention to cyclists.
YES! Japan bikes are so amazing! I rode a mamachiri bike and it was so easy going to places and I think its better than a car because you discover new places.
It's not safe for pedestrians and confusing for car drivers, sometimes I see people riding bikes on the sidewalk and when they cross people their move to the road, not looking if there is a car behind... super dangerous! At least when they are on the road we can clearly see them and know they'll stick to it.
My college town is a walking town, and a lot of people use the sidewalks. So it would be rude and a pain in the ass to ride your bike on the sidewalks. Also, bikes are considered cars on the road (at least in my town?) so you definitely couldn't ride on the sidewalk.
Lala Cisco riding on the sidewalk is horrifying! Think about the last time you went to pull out of a driveway, did you stop before the sidewalk? Because bikes go a lot faster and can cross that driveway/sidewalk threshold fast = collision.
I know...I feel the same way. I live in Spain, and have almost gotten hit twice going in the road with cars (it seems stupid to think that a bike is considered a car), so now I just go on the side walk, even if that could mean a fine. I’d rather pay a fine than be dead because a car run me over while I was following the bike rules. Also, some common sense, if your gonna ride on the sidewalk, you lower the speed and try to go where there’s no people walking.
This video was so delightful! I really enjoyed the different cut-aways and video effects, and the music was very well chosen. Aaaah this makes me want to go out and start biking. (Excellent shoutout with Hackerman btw.) Also Simon and Martina are serving up some #looks in this video, damn.
I been waiting all week for you guys 😭😭 I'm rewatching older stuff. (I'm pretty sure I contributed 20+ view to the Ramen video.) WOW what a coincidence! I am planning to bike around during my Tokyo and Kyoto. This video was super helpful!
I live in a small town in Germany. The one time my bike was actually stolen was when I forgot to lock it after arriving late to school. I pretty much use my bike to get everywhere with one exception: If you leave your bike at the train station after about 8pm, it's really likely that someone steals it, especially if you leave it over night (even if you lock it, they just take bolt cutters and take it anyway). There used to be a bike store which had to close down after about a month, because they were selling cars that they stole from the train station (the store was about 500m away from the station.)
I have trouble operating cars due to a sensory disorder. I never knew bikes like this existed! I'm going to look into this and see if I can get one like it here in America! This could really help me out a lot since I live in foothills and it is very hard to walk or bike regularly everywhere, and it is cheaper then the bus overall! Wow! Thanks for the video today! It was very helpful!
It is quite surprising you have to go through that progress of registering your bike and having it like if it were a car. Here in Spain (for example) we have a bike system that allows us to pick a bike from a certain spot, then take it to another spot and you need to be quick because they can charge you.
The intro, amazing. Also Martina, you look so gorgeous in this video (well you always do) but damn, you're on spot here. When I was in Japan I had a bike too, but I didn't register it, a friend just passed it down to me. It wasn't a fancy bike at all though. Nobody ever questioned me about it. My friends from other countries were super confused by all the bike-rules, but appart from the parking a lot of the rules are the same as in Germany. Also I just love dogs, they are so full of love for everyone.
I'm considering getting a bike as I currently live in Hokkaido, and my mate pointed me to your video. Thanks for giving the info and being entertaining, you guys are awesome.
it's virtually impossible to properly bike around my country, the philippines. i don't know how to bike either but i'm still watching this out of my love for you guys + my amazement with the bike culture in japan whenever i'd visit!
Electric assist bicycles were developed in Japan 30 years ago, but have not yet become so popular. The penetration rate is less than 10% in 2018. Two kids on one bicycle, actually Japanese moms do it on a normal bicycle.
First time commenter, but I have a electric assist bike as well and they are fantastic. Makes riding so much easier! I always thought I could see a battery in your bikes in previous videos
Yeeessss, I loved it, the two times I've stayed in guest houses at institutes in Japan they had bikes you could use. Also rented bikes to use around Kyoto, it was a great choice.
i moved from germany to the netherlands and the whole bike thing here is amazing, i never had a car license (not fond of riding metal deathmachines) and hadn't been on a bike in like 12 years but now im mobile! i think the best part is that the cars actually pay attention to bikes here and everyone knows who goes first and such at intersections, not to mention bikes often have their own roads separate from the street as well as their own traffic lights, only downside is... bicycle traffic jams are a thing here haha (and the ultimate mom chariot here is a "bakfiets", google it, i want one and i dont even have kids)
Bike culture in Japan is very similar to bike culture over here in the Netherlands!. Over here we have had electrically assisted bikes for around 5 years now and it is slowly becoming acceptable, but at first it wasnt so much accepted because the electrically assisted bikes are around 1200 euros and up and also everyone over here has at least one bike of themselves and you get used to biking uphill or against strong winds. Also over here bikes are normally not registered, only if you want to insure it against theft they put a digital tag in the keys and lock. We do have designated bike lanes everywhere and parking is most of the time free.
I currently live in Taiwan and biking culture here is a lot different that the US (and a tiny bit different from Japan). Bikes here are more common than in the US but still not as popular as motorbikes which are seemingly even MORE popular than cars here. Mostly just students and old grandmas ride bikes, but it's not unusual to see anyone riding a bike. As for parking, the first time I parked my bike in Taiwan I was shocked by how cheap it was! Only ~20NT (less than 1USD) for the whole day. Even though it's rare for bikes to get stolen here, better safe than sorry. And law wise, I don't think there's any laws about helmets or registering bikes or even lights here, but traffic can get pretty crazy (especially during rush hour), so most people take precautions. It was very surprising to come from the US where almost nobody rides bikes to Taiwan where it's expected for students to ride bikes to school. All that being said, I really enjoy riding my bike here. It feels like even by running my daily errands and going to school, I'm exercising!
in the USA ( FL) you can buy any type of bike and park it anywhere you want as long as it has a chain to lock it up so no one can steal it and no need to pay for parking your bike.
I want a bike like that as well. I live in the Netherlands and ride my bike daily to work. While it isn't hilly here, it is quite windy, and it works GREAT with that. I have several family members with bikes like this as well, and they are amazing. I am saving up for one.
I live in the US and bike culture varies. There are people who ride bikes for fun and who commute but it's not as common. I ride my bike to work and there's a small bike rack with room for 6 bikes. In the last few years bikes specifically for commuting have become popular. I have a fold up bike so I fold it up and put it in the trunk whenever someone picks me up. Super simple!
I live in Houston, my bike got stolen from my 2nd floor apartment patio. I didn't chain it up thinking no one would climb up there to steal it...boy was I wrong. I now double chain my new bike.
In Australia it's compulsory to wear a helmet when riding your bike. We are also not supposed to ride on footpaths (sidewalks)...only roads & designated specific bike paths.
Awesome~ The biking culture in Japan is one of my main reasons for studying abroad there. I love bicycling (since its more environmentally-friendly and makes you exercise - plus very relaxing) but where I live it's difficult to do so. I don't think this a lame topic at all and look forward to seeing your guys mamacharis in future vids. Thanks for making this video :D
Thank you so much to +Allison Fang and +msrjjon for the English subtitles! We really appreciate the help. Thank you!
My friend lived in Japan for a few years. Her bike got stolen once by a drunk man who needed to get home. He returned it the next day with some money to make up for the inconvenience.
SugarGilly That...is probably the politest rude thing I've ever heard. A+ drunk Japanese man!
That's amazing!
SENPAIS NOTICED ME! -cough- Erm.. Anyways...
It was funny too because the koban scolded her for not having a good enough lock.
How does he know where the owner of the bike lives?
Common sense, tells me he returned the bike to where he took it from.
Yeah, here in the Netherlands the electric bikes are really popular with elderly people. And it's really frustrating cuz when it's really windy and you're sweating like an seal them old peeps be passing by like 'ho ho ho bye suckers!' 😖😭
i got a racebike just because of this haha, not gonna let those old people overtake me!!
Only elderly? I don't think so, also many young people and even teenagers have an ebike in the Netherlands.
Ha! Jun from Rachel and Jun rode his bike with an umbrella AND filmed at the same time in a video :P
ARREST THAT MAN!
I think Jun told a story of when he biked to school with an umbrella and it was really windy out so the umbrella turned inside out and he hit the ditch I think lmao
This new road traffic law has come into force since 2015
Living the thug life
Maybe umbrella's are banned now because of the anime Another? :o
So, I broke the law in Japan for the entire time I was there, LMAO! I didn't have my bike registered, it was left there by the person who rented my apartment, so I can't believe that I rode around daily and never been stopped by the cops, lol. I never used a light during the night, and I always biked using one hand holding an umbrella when it rained. I'm a rebel!
chigasaki06 You got lucky because one can be arrested for having an unregistered bike or not having it registered at their name (police officers would then assume the person stole the bike, that's why). Also, I understood why our teachers told us it was important to have a light at night because it can be dangerous to inter in collision with pedestrians or other bikes in dark alleys/roads. More than once, I was riding my bike and met other Japanese on their bike without a light. I couldn't see them at all since there was no lights around (luckily, I could hear them coming towards me). (Btw, my bike had one of those "pedal and it will lit" light.)
for real though, get lights, no matter where you are. bikes are invisible to cars at night or in evenings, even if it seems like you should be visible
wow hard stuff! Here in Germany it is common to walk your dog while riding the bike and this would be rebel too, if you would try this in Japan (unless you have no dog...) xDDD
chigasaki06 , no matter where you live, having a light or 2 for your bike at night is essential to your safety, and may prevent serious accidents with motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists.
I agree. At the time I was young and didn't really think too much about safety. In hindsight, I definitely would have attached lighting to my bike, along with getting it registered, lol.
We're doing a bit of a TL;DR and talking about bike culture in Japan, what the process of getting a bike is like, what mamacharis are, and how you can park your bike without getting a ticket.
hello there big fan
Simon and Martina AYE NOTIFICATION SQUAD
Simon and Martina 2 view! I love you guys!
Simon and Martina I'm so early! love your videos!
Simon and Martina hiiiiiii guys i love you so much😁😳😳💖💕💗💝💞💟
In Glasgow, if you're not careful, buses and taxi driver will run you over with no remorse
Rinneh Same in London. and then they will shout at you.
This also happens in the U.S.
Rinneh like that vine where the guy gets hit by a bus and all his pals start shouting "fuck off, Ali"
Yeah I live in the midlands and even in the rural areas i'd say that biking on any kind of main road or regularly used road at certain times is very dangerous. Though there is definitely an issue with bikers going out (especially at night) with not enough lights on 60/70mph roads and scaring the life out of drivers. I find it pretty horrible to think that any driver would be okay with knocking a cyclist down. I know if I was the driver that even if no one was hurt it would change me a lot.
so i guess in Glasgow ..... the bus rides you? XD ik horrible
you guys inspired my mother and now she's trying to make me find a way to ship a mamachari to australia
+Sam “Sammy” M I hope you can find a way! They're great :)
Did you find a way to get it shipped? I've been trying to import one since forever, i was ready to pay the premium only to find out that the forwarder wont ship the battery.
I've watched almost every single video of yours (some of them multiple times) and I can say unhesitatingly that you're the most amazing and positive people I've ever seen. Even though your videos mostly consist of you eating and being complete dorks, the way they make me feel is undescribable??? I just feel so warm inside (cheesy much). I wish you would upload more videos but I'm fully aware that making and editing them is a pain in the ass so I can't blame you. Please keep up and don't let yourselves get brought down by haters (if you have any lol). Love you~ (Polish fanboy)
cool biking skills Simon
I'm really good
AZUMA KAZUMA i know right... what a super power!!!!
Simon and Martina Simon = Lance Armstrong
"You might think this is not interesting"
Well, jokes on you, because I find virtually everything you upload interesting, sooo
As a dutch person nothing new was introduced to me in this video 10/10
You have the electric assist bikes too?! Cool!
Yes!! It's especially popular with the older generation, I often see more electric assist bikes at a bike parking than normal bikes :P (and lazy 19yr old me has one too, I should get more active)
I don't think they are as common as in Japan, but they are popping up everywhere. Biking also a normal thing in the Netherlands, everyone learns to ride a bike as a kid and we also do almost everything with it.
J3 Really? I have bever been to a place where you had to pay to stall your bike? Only when you park it inside a building where they "guard" it for you so it can't get stolen. But I am from the countryside so.... maybe that's why.
J3 im dutch and i was thinking the same thing lol
I love your hair and lip color Martina! I love how in the shot in the parking lot had an actual momma and a cute baby getting ready to ride off in their mom bike! I wish I could ride my bike to school but where I live it's not very safe :/ no sidewalks and only super busy high way style roads
In the Philippines, your bike gets stolen faster than you can yell out "Hel--" shit... My bike's already gone... :(
Cloudlockheart Wouldn't it blow your mind if there was only like 5 bikes in all of the Philippines and they just kept getting stolen over and over again.
Cloudlockheart hahaha
This video was interesting because it's not something most UA-camrs living in Japan would talk about, but it's such a huge deal! I had to learn this all by myself when I first came here, and I'm sure so many people want to learn about dealing with bikes if the decide to come live here.
I do have a comment regarding the bike theft. I live in Souka City, which is one of the first cities when entering Saitama from Tokyo. It's basically the suburbs before you get into the deep rural areas of Saitama. My family and I live in the "danchi (団地)" which are what my boyfriend refers to as the "ghettos" of Japan. He was born and raised there and he always makes a point to make sure I'm careful with my bike in these danchi areas. He has had not only his bicycles stolen, but also a motorcycle as well. According to him, not only do people steal these bicycles and motorcycles (in these areas) which are always parked outside and accessible to anyone, but people will get into these apartments and so on.
I guess this is a note more for people living in the more run-down areas to just be careful. I've seen people double lock their bikes (one being the key that Simon & Martina showed, and another is a tire lock). Just a heads up for those moving into the cheaper areas around Tokyo ^^!
Also, NOTIFICATION SQUAD! What's your favourite kind of doggie? I love all doggies and it's really hard for me to choose.
Simon and Martina I love shiba inus. Like yes sign me up.
Simon and Martina I wuvs kitties more😍😸
I love Samoyeds
husky best doggie
Simon and Martina pugs 😍
Simon and Martina, the couple who makes bicycles interesting, fun and cool. Boy do I love this couple
Pay to park a.. bike? That's weird, why does it cost to park? In Sweden there's places to park your bike all over the place, and if there aren't any places where you are, you just put it wherever. Forever. For free.
Because it's got a lock, I guess?
Good point.
Would these bike parking lots be monitored by cameras too maybe? That would justify the small fee.
Fi X I also think it has to do with revenue. I mean when people report stolen bikes and whatnot, someone's got to pay to look for them. And I'm assuming registration is a one off payment, and if everyone is riding a bike, whose going to pay for the continued maintenance of the roads/sidewalks? I've noticed the streets in Japan are clean as hell, someone has to be paid to keep them like that.
Maybe there is more room in Swedish cities for the number of bikes per square kilometer? Maybe in Sweden the sidewalks are wider, or not quite as many people using every cm of space? Bikes locked to sign posts make the sidewalks a little narrower.
I loved this video! It's more of a slice-of-life video that people can relate to but still be fascinated by, since it'll be a long time before I can enjoy travelling or do pricier things like eat at a Michelin star restaurant. Thank you Simon and Martina
It's really dangerous in some parts of London where I live to ride my bike ( it look expensive and new) I got chased by a gang just so they could take it from me. I love London but it can be a crazy place sometimes.
a gang??? Oo"
I once heard on TV that London is the unsavest place to ride a bike and that around every 7 accident on streets was caused by someone riding a bike and got hit buy a truck or car... they even brought up a story about a Spanish prince thsat got killed by a car while he was riding a bike...
Dominique White that's really scary and I'm sorry, but, it reads kinda funny 😂
Spaniard here. The prince death was like five-six months ago but he wasn't ours, he was Italian and super young, really sad stuff :(
No I don't ment this... They mentioned a spanish prince wich died in 2012 who studied at an University in London (Sorry if something I remember is wrong about but I heard this on German TV in an documentation as they brought up an German who died in London as an tourist by riding a bike^^)
I really enjoyed this video! My partner is a track cyclist predominantly (but also into road cycling) and we currently have 5 bikes in our house (2 are mine and the rest are his). I think bike culture in Perth, Australia is definitely there but you have to look more for it. I don't think many people use bikes for running errands or grocery's (not at least where I've lived) but lots use road bikes for work commutes and have weekend riding groups. The velodrome he rides at has such a great community too and is so welcoming to all different types of people who are passionate.
Shout-out to the lil guy digging for gold in the background of 6:28!
lol
I saw a video of a Japanese nurse who said "Have you noticed how people with fat fingers have big nostrils? That's because every human has to be able to pick his nose."
I parked my bike illegally, and I saw a police officer writing tickets for a few bikes nearby. I quickly hopped on my bike and rode the opposite direction as fast as I could. This was in Toyohashi. Returning back to the States, I miss my Japanese bike so much. I used it for everything and I just loved taking rides on the weekend to wherever. I'm also glad that you solved the mystery about the power bikes. Because a 70 year old man definitely beat me biking up a hill one day. I just assumed that he was incredibly strong.
So this is kind of a weird topic, but could you guys do a video about homelessness in japan? You never seem to see anyone just laying on the street there it seems so where do they go?
Ana Banana Some were chased from the streets were there are tourists (politicians don't want Japan to have a bad image) and they mostly live were people like themselves are. I remember my teacher in Japan telling us there are some train stops to avoid if we don't want to get into trouble... There are some popular soup too in Japan, but most foreigners aren't aware of that, just like they aren't aware of high poverty in Japan (poverty is not always obvious in Japan, but it exists and unfortunately, it's harder on women :( ). (Ref.: I lived in Japan with Japanese for almost a year.)
Ana Banana sometimes you can see homeless people setting up camp at night time in some subway stations, but generally homeless people in Japan are mostly invisible
Ana Banana A lot of homeless people end up forced into certain areas so you don't tend to see them all over the place as much. I lived in Nishinari in Osaka and there are a lot of homeless people there. There's a good blog post about it: www.tofugu.com/japan/nishinari/ and here: www.tofugu.com/japan/homeless-in-japan/ :)
Ana Banana I saw them a lot in shinjuku when I visited Tokyo :(
there's actually plenty of poverty and crime in Japan but everyone seems to kinda ignore it, probably to make Japan seem like some sort of utopia to foreigners.
LOVE this kind of video. I find myself extroadinarily fascinated with "everyday life" in Japan, and riding your bike everywhere is a major aspect of that. It's like being (for a foreigner) a kid again!
I saw a bunch of your old videos and I was curious for like 2 years of who was the guy with Martina, I thought it was a guy that you meet in Korea that help you with your videos and Simon was filming, and when you move to Japan the guy stay in Korea and now Simon is in front of the camera with Martina.
Seriously, it took me 2 years to figure out that that guy WAS Simon! He looks so diferent through the years.
Isabel Frias lol...
simon is martina's brother.
No. Simon and Martina are not related to each other. They are married couples.
#siblinggoals
awaketogrey wtf
Unfortunately biking in South Florida is a bit dangerous. We are #1 in the country for bike vs vehicle collisions and unfortunately quite a few end in fatality. I can't wait to ride a bike in Japan this april. I've checked into several ride share rentals.
and like 1# in bike thief. i cant even own a bike anymore don't want to waste money.
Elizabeth Welch Yeah biking in S. Florida is dangerous, a family friend of mine was training for the Iron Man competition and was hit by a car and suffered a broken arm and leg damage (which luckily healed okay). Needless to say, there's a lot of cases where people would even hit a biker and NO ONE will stop to make sure they are okay as is the case with this one college student from my college, sadly he died and could have lived if someone called 911 in time.
That's because Floridians can't drive. I lived there for a year and nearly got hit on my bike 3 times. And I mostly rode on the sidewalk!
Well if they came to Broward General and needed surgery I might have taken care of them.
I'm heading to Florida next month, so i'll be sure to not ride a bike! :O
0:35 had me laughing for a good while. We all know Simon is a BMX master :p
😂😂😂
I am from the Netherlands and biking culture is huge here as well. Every Dutch kid learns how to ride a bike as soon as they can walk.☺️
I walk around parks just to pet dogs ☺️ it makes me happy and one day I will have my own 😁
That sounds like fun. I want to do that.
Davis has a very similar set of rules, bike light, BUI, registration. Not sure about the umbrella thing, but if you listen to music using earphones you can only have one earbud in.
6:50 in Italy
"Go on and do your business and when you come back you'll find a beautiful potato waiting for you! Your bike is probably on sale in some illegal market somewhere by that time".
They really do use bikes a lot in Japan ! I was surprised about that too. In Quebec we dont use bike that much. In Asakusa, they have a lot of bike parking spots (even underground one). There is also signs on the sidewalk to indicate the pedestrian and bikes parts of the sidewalk. There is also designated space for bike to cross the road. ( one part is the pedestrian crossway, the other is bike crossway). Well almost no body respect it to I almost got killed a few time by a bike ....but XD. I'm also amazed by the bikers skills. I mean, sometime the sidewalk is full of pedestrians, but a mom or dad with kids on the bike will zig zag between the pedestrians, slow down when someone is walking infront ...I dont have that skill for sure ! o-o
Maple & Tempura Like my Japanese teacher once told us in Japan, it's kind of ironic that Japan can be dangerous for pedestrians and biking people since there are so many of them... XD
BTW the bike crosswalks are being phased out in Tokyo, replaced with blue chevrons in the road. The reason is that you are not supposed to ride on the sidewalk in the first place, and putting the crosswalks there seems to be encouraging it. If you look around, you will see that whenever crosswalks are repainted now, the pedestrian part is widened to cover the part that was previously the bicycle lane, and then they add the chevrons to the left side of the road. This has been going on for several years now, but I expect it will take several more years to be complete.
There was this time when I was maybe 15-16 years old. I had gotten all sorts of bike parts from other bikes that broke and what not. With my mother's help we put together a new bike! It was really cool and a fun project for me. I was able to paint it with spray paint because the original frame was a little worn. So the day I finished putting it all together I took it for a ride to test it out. It was so amazing! I had fun doing it and it made me feel accomplished. I brought it into the entryway of my house and let it sit there in the porch. Closed the door and the next day I went to ride it and it was gone. A week later I seen someone riding my bike after they sprayed it black. So they watched me build a bike from the ground up and when it was finished broke into my porch and stole it.
I was so upset and didn't have another bike until just recently. I moved and had to leave that bike behind so...no more biking for meep.
TLDR: Built a bike from the ground up and someone broke into my front porch to steal it when it was all finished.
The "Mundane Made Awesome" trope working overtime here!
I used to bike all day everyday. I have a 1985 schwinn Madison fixed gear. It's pink and white ,original racing colors from the 80s, and full campy parts. She is beautiful and hangs on my wall. Since all of my surgeries I can't ride a bike comfortably anymore, but I do look back on my time and greatly treasure it. Pittsburgh PA represent!
I wish we had more space in India to ride bikes , it's hard to ride in all the traffic.
Honestly I'm not even mad that the quantity of videos has gone down because you guys definitely made up for that for drastic increase in quality! Love your vids!
*PHEW* Thank you! We're trying to make better videos for you all and something like this video, we could have just filmed in our house, but we spent the time to plan out interesting shots and locations. Took a lot longer to film, but I think it is more interesting than just a plain talking video. :)
Yes!!!! Love it! I want one of those electric assist bikes!! That thing is rad!! xoxo
Martina, how can you look so gorgeous in every of your videos?! 0.0 You're definitely an inspirational source for me, your style is amazing!
Early squad where you at !??
Right here!
We have to have lights too on our bikes in Denmark. We have to pay a fine if your lights is too small or if you don't have any lights at light. It think it needs to be visible at least 10 meters.❤
Do people usually not wear helmets there?
Erin I lived in Singapore and I didn't wear a helmet either.
I guess some countries make a bigger deal than others
Erin It's not an inbligation to do so. However, accidents happen more often than you might think. I lived there almost a year and it can be dangerous, especially at night, but even during day time. Car drivers can be dangerous for pedestrians and biking people (they don't really pay attention, I know some guys who were hit by a car... O_O;; Luckily, they only had a leg broken and a sore body, so they didn't stay in hospital for too long...).
+JCXP123 nope here in Germany neighter. There are people with helmets (but mostly just the kids) and they want you to wear one, but most people don't use one and many people in Germany (mostly the women) be like: "Ah no, that would ruin my hairstyle..." hahaha
Once you Jimin you can't Jimout! lol yeah exactly. Some countries really stress using a helmet while others are like meh
Me too! Always thought that Japanese mom are SUPER MOMS, with kids and grocery and everything on the bike. This video is so informative and awesome! Thank you Simon and Martina!
seriously seriously considering uprooting my life post college and moving abroad by myself
I think you should. Living overseas is a tremendously valuable education.
Simon and Martina thank you so much for replying! wow i have been watching you guys for like five years so exciting! i personally want to challenge myself to have the experience. and now i might sell my car for a mamachari! Low key i want to to adventure travel vlogs, you guys have really inspired me and i have learned so much from your production techniques and videos! I more than likely will, i'll just be by myself and that makes me nervous. Did you have to get pet visas for meemers and spudgey? beside my own logistics, there's looks expensive but i don't know how to not get ripped off for jobs and things :o)
This video was so informative and enjoyable! I wish they had this bike culture in more places than just Japan! Also, Martina, you are just rocking that scarf. So fab!
Simon your hair reminds me of the Genie from Aladdin
Thank you so much for this! I've been waiting for someone that can cover the bike culture in japan!
I live in the netherlands, we have more bikes than people here. xD
Love the bikes 🚴 in Japan 🇯🇵. When we bought ours in the Island of Okinawa. We took the bike 🚴 home 🏡 the same day. It was the best day ever. The bike has all the bells and whistles on it. The bell 🔔, the basket, the lock 🔐 and the lights all built into it. So when you pedal the lights turns on when you turn on the switch. When we move back to the US, I couldn't pet with it so we took it back with us. :) it's nice 👍🏽 knowing that so far I'm the only one ☝🏽 in our neighborhood that has a Mamachari. I love it.
in my country we don't even have bike roads lmao we suck
Simon and Martina you should do a being sick in Japan edition since you guys only made one in Korea. I loved it when you guys talked about being sick in Korea because when I was sick I would watch your guys's video and it made me feel a lot better🤒
Finally something that it is not about food :D
I've never commented on a video before and I've probably seen a huge chunk your videos! Just wanted to say thanks for all of the lovely videos and the positivity! I can't wait to see all of your new adventures in Japan! p.s. I love all dogs to! :)
Are you guys getting a Nintendo Switch?
Aleen R I wonder!
+Aleen R yeah! Just not yet. We're in no rush :)
Simon and Martina Cool, you'll have to make a Switch video when you do get it!!!
cycling in London is like a high adrenaline sport. When I commuted by bike, I'd have a near miss almost every time I headed out despite following the rules of the road ridiculously closely (I'm a cautious tortoise) and wearing all the high vis and mostly sticking to cycle lanes. Theft is very intense as well. Once caught someone angle grinding my bike lock... that was awkward... Really happy to see that other cities in the world are more laid back to a lovely way to travel!
How expensive and frequent are those indoors parkings for bikes we've seen Simon use in one of your videos? Love you guys :D
Those are the same price. :) All the places we've used fluctuate in cost around $1.00 so not very pricey. The only thing is that indoor parking tends to fill up quickly :P
Thank you so much for the answer! :D
$1.00/hr seems like a lot. I can park my car for 50 cents for 6 hours around here.
Phil Nolan dude do you live in a Forrest or something? Carparks here are like $3-$4.50 an hour ... 50c for 6 is insane
bemyvforever What's dumb is that I usually only want to park for an hour or so, yet I have to pay the entire 6 hours worth. At least the first 15 mins is free.
Thank you guys sooooo much for this video! I went to Japan in 2016 and I saw a lot of bikes being used. At the time, I had already begun the process of transferring to a uni in Japan that I will be attending in 2018 (International Affairs majors where u at?). I knew right away I would need to get a bike but was unsure of the process. I thank you guys for making this video - so thank you!
Side note: when we were filming this, we ran into other UA-camrs at RyuuuTV and did some food porn with them. Check it out! ua-cam.com/video/mPnmH_u-X_E/v-deo.html
Simon and Martina my food porn is Peaceful Cuisine (no music), it's so satisfying watch this UA-camr make food.
Hi, I would like to express how grateful I am to be able to meet you guys on the internet that, your video helped me go through some of the darkest days of my time. I had lose my full time job and had to worked as a part time for around 2 years, and those days is so difficult for me that my depression come and haunted me again, I considered to give up my life for a few times. Thanks for giving me a short period of happiness and laughters as a mental pick up in those days. I recently get my full time job back and had worked for a week! Thank you again! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!
haha martina so special
Poor Martina, eating grasshoppers.
Simon and Martina Martina I really love your sunglasses!! can I ask where did you buy it? 😎
I love videos where you just show the surroundings. Sightseeing japanese streets is lovely
Hi Simon and Martina im kinda new here and i love.ur videos soo muchh im learning a lot of things about japan and more pls response if you see this that gonna make my day 😀😉
+Αχιλλεας Χατζηνικολαου hello there!
Wooooow! Finally found a video regarding biking in Japan, the place that we will be staying offers free use of their bike, so this is going to be helpful. Thanks Simon and Martina :)
WHAT ABOUT HELMETS??!!??
Nelli Toivonen Helmets are not an obligation in Japan, even if accidents often occur there... (Even children can ride a bike without an helmet.)
but just because they are not obligatory doesn't mean people shouldn't wear them! :( I really hope Simon and Martina would start using helmets for their own safety... they are lovely people and I wish for them to be safe in traffic!
Nelli Toivonen
People in most countries with a bike culture don't wear a helmet. Only cyclists who ride for sport wear helmets.
And that is stupid. Just because most people somewhere don't wear/don't have to wear helmets, doesn't impact the fact that they really SHOULD wear them. A helmet can save your life. A helmet can save you from severe brain damage. And I think being the odd one out there or having a flat hair etc. because of a helmet is a small price to pay for staying alive. I just wish more people would realize this :(
Nelli Toivonen I think a helmet is handy, but in country's like the Netherlands it isn't needed because we have bike lanes everywhere. It rarely happens that someone falls off his bike. I think a helmet can help allot in places where there aren't any bike lanes and the traffic isn't paying attention to cyclists.
YES! Japan bikes are so amazing! I rode a mamachiri bike and it was so easy going to places and I think its better than a car because you discover new places.
+Yabba agreed!
I'M SO EARLY WHAT?!
WHAAAAT?!
EXACTLY! 😂
I KNOW!
omg!!! this is very very VERY helpful!!! I went to Japan, and rent a bike. and totally lost about how to park our bike! thank you!! THANK YOU!!
I never understand why it was illegal to ride bikes on the sidewalk. It seems like the safest place for them to be.
It's not safe for pedestrians and confusing for car drivers, sometimes I see people riding bikes on the sidewalk and when they cross people their move to the road, not looking if there is a car behind... super dangerous! At least when they are on the road we can clearly see them and know they'll stick to it.
My college town is a walking town, and a lot of people use the sidewalks. So it would be rude and a pain in the ass to ride your bike on the sidewalks. Also, bikes are considered cars on the road (at least in my town?) so you definitely couldn't ride on the sidewalk.
Lala Cisco riding on the sidewalk is horrifying! Think about the last time you went to pull out of a driveway, did you stop before the sidewalk? Because bikes go a lot faster and can cross that driveway/sidewalk threshold fast = collision.
Weird it's not illegal I California
I know...I feel the same way. I live in Spain, and have almost gotten hit twice going in the road with cars (it seems stupid to think that a bike is considered a car), so now I just go on the side walk, even if that could mean a fine. I’d rather pay a fine than be dead because a car run me over while I was following the bike rules. Also, some common sense, if your gonna ride on the sidewalk, you lower the speed and try to go where there’s no people walking.
This video was so delightful! I really enjoyed the different cut-aways and video effects, and the music was very well chosen. Aaaah this makes me want to go out and start biking. (Excellent shoutout with Hackerman btw.)
Also Simon and Martina are serving up some #looks in this video, damn.
I been waiting all week for you guys 😭😭 I'm rewatching older stuff. (I'm pretty sure I contributed 20+ view to the Ramen video.) WOW what a coincidence! I am planning to bike around during my Tokyo and Kyoto. This video was super helpful!
I live in a small town in Germany. The one time my bike was actually stolen was when I forgot to lock it after arriving late to school. I pretty much use my bike to get everywhere with one exception: If you leave your bike at the train station after about 8pm, it's really likely that someone steals it, especially if you leave it over night (even if you lock it, they just take bolt cutters and take it anyway). There used to be a bike store which had to close down after about a month, because they were selling cars that they stole from the train station (the store was about 500m away from the station.)
As someone who has plans to move to Japan for a few semesters, this is actually fascinating! Thanks guys :)
I have trouble operating cars due to a sensory disorder. I never knew bikes like this existed! I'm going to look into this and see if I can get one like it here in America! This could really help me out a lot since I live in foothills and it is very hard to walk or bike regularly everywhere, and it is cheaper then the bus overall! Wow! Thanks for the video today! It was very helpful!
It is quite surprising you have to go through that progress of registering your bike and having it like if it were a car. Here in Spain (for example) we have a bike system that allows us to pick a bike from a certain spot, then take it to another spot and you need to be quick because they can charge you.
watching this in 2020 when almost everyone seems to have an ebike here in austria. you getting excited about having one feels really adorable ^^
At 0:35 I really couldn't hold back. "Oh my god they did not just do that." Literally was the first thing I said this morning XD I love you guys.
The intro, amazing. Also Martina, you look so gorgeous in this video (well you always do) but damn, you're on spot here.
When I was in Japan I had a bike too, but I didn't register it, a friend just passed it down to me. It wasn't a fancy bike at all though. Nobody ever questioned me about it.
My friends from other countries were super confused by all the bike-rules, but appart from the parking a lot of the rules are the same as in Germany.
Also I just love dogs, they are so full of love for everyone.
One of my all time favorite videos guys. I've literally watched a hundred times.
That opening made my day. Thank you Simon and Martina!
I'm considering getting a bike as I currently live in Hokkaido, and my mate pointed me to your video.
Thanks for giving the info and being entertaining, you guys are awesome.
+Andy Loosli hey welcome! If it snows a lot where you live in Hokkaido these electric babies will get your through the snow and wind a lot easier too.
Simon and Martina Ooo, thank you for letting me know.
ok! i was thrilled and so happy to see Simon and Martina play with the dog.
you guys made my day again, thank you so much😇
I'm glad we could! Thank you for watching :D
it's virtually impossible to properly bike around my country, the philippines. i don't know how to bike either but i'm still watching this out of my love for you guys + my amazement with the bike culture in japan whenever i'd visit!
I don't know why, but your videos make me so happy :)
Electric assist bicycles were developed in Japan 30 years ago, but have not yet become so popular. The penetration rate is less than 10% in 2018.
Two kids on one bicycle, actually Japanese moms do it on a normal bicycle.
Your videos make me smile so much! The "robot legs" punchline got me by surprise too. :D
Thanks for sharing your cool experiences with us!
Thank you. This is amazing. I think i never came across a video talking about bike culture in Japan
loved my bike in Japan. i loved the lock with the key built in and the basket in the front for bags and groceries
First time commenter, but I have a electric assist bike as well and they are fantastic. Makes riding so much easier! I always thought I could see a battery in your bikes in previous videos
Awww that puppy hug. So cute. Love the dialogue. You two are hilarious.
Yeeessss, I loved it, the two times I've stayed in guest houses at institutes in Japan they had bikes you could use. Also rented bikes to use around Kyoto, it was a great choice.
i moved from germany to the netherlands and the whole bike thing here is amazing, i never had a car license (not fond of riding metal deathmachines) and hadn't been on a bike in like 12 years but now im mobile! i think the best part is that the cars actually pay attention to bikes here and everyone knows who goes first and such at intersections, not to mention bikes often have their own roads separate from the street as well as their own traffic lights, only downside is... bicycle traffic jams are a thing here haha
(and the ultimate mom chariot here is a "bakfiets", google it, i want one and i dont even have kids)
Bike culture in Japan is very similar to bike culture over here in the Netherlands!. Over here we have had electrically assisted bikes for around 5 years now and it is slowly becoming acceptable, but at first it wasnt so much accepted because the electrically assisted bikes are around 1200 euros and up and also everyone over here has at least one bike of themselves and you get used to biking uphill or against strong winds. Also over here bikes are normally not registered, only if you want to insure it against theft they put a digital tag in the keys and lock. We do have designated bike lanes everywhere and parking is most of the time free.
I currently live in Taiwan and biking culture here is a lot different that the US (and a tiny bit different from Japan). Bikes here are more common than in the US but still not as popular as motorbikes which are seemingly even MORE popular than cars here. Mostly just students and old grandmas ride bikes, but it's not unusual to see anyone riding a bike. As for parking, the first time I parked my bike in Taiwan I was shocked by how cheap it was! Only ~20NT (less than 1USD) for the whole day. Even though it's rare for bikes to get stolen here, better safe than sorry. And law wise, I don't think there's any laws about helmets or registering bikes or even lights here, but traffic can get pretty crazy (especially during rush hour), so most people take precautions. It was very surprising to come from the US where almost nobody rides bikes to Taiwan where it's expected for students to ride bikes to school. All that being said, I really enjoy riding my bike here. It feels like even by running my daily errands and going to school, I'm exercising!
in the USA ( FL) you can buy any type of bike and park it anywhere you want as long as it has a chain to lock it up so no one can steal it and no need to pay for parking your bike.
I want a bike like that as well. I live in the Netherlands and ride my bike daily to work. While it isn't hilly here, it is quite windy, and it works GREAT with that. I have several family members with bikes like this as well, and they are amazing. I am saving up for one.
I live in the US and bike culture varies. There are people who ride bikes for fun and who commute but it's not as common. I ride my bike to work and there's a small bike rack with room for 6 bikes.
In the last few years bikes specifically for commuting have become popular. I have a fold up bike so I fold it up and put it in the trunk whenever someone picks me up. Super simple!
I live in Houston, my bike got stolen from my 2nd floor apartment patio. I didn't chain it up thinking no one would climb up there to steal it...boy was I wrong. I now double chain my new bike.
I love to see Martina enjoying the moments
In Australia it's compulsory to wear a helmet when riding your bike. We are also not supposed to ride on footpaths (sidewalks)...only roads & designated specific bike paths.
Awesome~ The biking culture in Japan is one of my main reasons for studying abroad there. I love bicycling (since its more environmentally-friendly and makes you exercise - plus very relaxing) but where I live it's difficult to do so. I don't think this a lame topic at all and look forward to seeing your guys mamacharis in future vids. Thanks for making this video :D