Japanese bicycle culture

Bicycles are a daily-life staple in Japan — used for school commutes (通学自転車), grocery runs, short urban trips, and errands. Children typically learn to ride at a young age. Schools, train stations, and shops are surrounded by bike racks; weather-resistant utility bikes with baskets are a market category of their own. Bicycle parking lots and dedicated lanes are common in cities; bicycle theft and parking violations are persistent issues.