Tokyo Bike Tour: Explore Eclectic Local Armories and Riverside Paths
5.0
149 Ratings
Suginami City
Uncover the unique regions of Tokyo typically overlooked by tourists and experience the city in a true local fashion: by bicycle. This intimate cycling tour around Tokyo invites you on a fascinating local adventure through the winding back roads and bike paths alongside the river, away from the usual touristy throngs.
Duration:
3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Kōenji Station - Jump on board a salvaged ‘mamachari’ bicycle and join a like minded group of guests on an ALL INCLUSIVE cycling, walking and food jaunt on the inner west side of Tokyo.
Delve into the eclectic local neighbourhoods of Nakano, Koenji and Asagaya as we pedal to the rhythm of everyday life on this all-season, all-weather Tokyo cycling tour.
With the insider knowledge of a seasoned local guide, nothing’s off limits as we discover the urban landscapes, offbeat attractions and enticing cuisine that gives these culturally rich enclaves their distinctive character.
Test your cycling dexterity as we ride the twisting backstreets, learn about the intricacies of neighbourhood life, enjoy a tailored selection of Japanese street food eats, experience first-hand Tokyo’s unique cycling culture and jostle for counter space with hungry
salarymen
as we refuel for lunch.
The possibilities are endless as we set off to ride a captivating side of Tokyo on our sometimes creaky, sometimes squeaky but always immaculately maintained ‘mamachari’ bikes.
What's Included
- Snacks
- Cycling liability insurance.
- Bicycle use
- Local English speaking guide
- Bicycle parking fees.
- Bottled water
- Lunch
Meal Options
-
Lunch - A simple ‘salaryman’ style lunch experience at a popular neighbourhood eatery.
-
Snacks - 2 Japanese street food eats from long-standing neighbourhood vendors.
-
Drink - Your choice of bottled drink from one of Japan’s 5+ million vending machines.
Additional Information
- This is a ‘no-fuss’ Tokyo cycling, walking and food tour with an emphasis on socialising, exploration and local discovery. There won’t be any major sightseeing or ‘fine dining’ stops on our itinerary.
- For the enjoyment of the group and your personal safety, you are expected to be competent riding a bicycle in an urban environment through narrow and potentially crowded streets and on uneven surfaces for a distance of roughly 12 - 15 km (7.5 - 9.5 mi).
- Guests should be over 140 cm in height (4’7) to comfortably ride the bikes and helmets can be provided for all participants on request.
- All salvaged ‘mamachari’ bicycles are ‘Japanese-sized’ and come equipped with front baskets that have the capacity to hold a standard sized backpack.
- Japanese cuisine often contains meat and seafood elements, with ‘dashi’ being a common base ingredient. Please understand that we will be visiting typical local eateries and that it can be difficult to cater to personal tastes, dietary requirements and food allergies.
- Group size, environmental factors and the speed in which the group eats and cycles will all impact on the finishing time of our bike tour. As a rough guide, it’s a 3.5 to 4 hour outing.
- Please appreciate that you have chosen an outdoor activity that may be impacted by the weather. If we encounter a rainy day, basic ponchos will be provided and our cycling tour generally proceeds as planned.
- By attending this Tokyo bike tour you acknowledge the adventurous nature of the ride and that participation can involve a degree of personal risk. Cycling liability insurance is included for the cycling portion of our experience but you are expected to possess comprehensive travel insurance to protect yourself from unforeseen incidents.
Location
Kōenji Station
The tour will commence directly outside the electronic ticket gates of Koenji Station on the JR Train Network. Koenji Station is only two stops by train from Shinjuku Station (6 min) or five stops by train from Shibuya Station (18 min).
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(149 Ratings)
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Amanda
Apr 13, 2024
Amazing introduction to Japan - First day in Tokyo and the bike ride with Andy was the perfect way to start our trip.
Roding the bikes through quaint streets was awesome in itself, and the food was great, but what really made it special was Andy sharing so much interesting information about how the Japanese live, work and play.
It set the bar so high for the rest of our trip and I know it will be a highlight.
As long as you can ride a bike I highly recommend booking this experience. There is nothing like getting off the beaten track.
It even rained for part of our ride and the kids didn’t complain once which is a first!
Review provided by Viator
Sarahbn5064ve
Apr 9, 2024
Eleven stars! Best thing we did in Tokyo! - Absolutely the highlight of our Tokyo visit. Highly recommend this Cycling and Food tour for anyone looking for something just slightly off the heavily-trodden tourist track. Andy is a gem- friendly, expert and engaging. A few stops west of Shinjuku, the Koenji and Nakano suburbs are the places we will head to immediately on our next trip. Every street and lane way was a treasure, each pause at a place of interest was fascinating, and every food stop was delicious and generous. The bikes were a pleasure to ride, and for our family, including two teenagers, this tour was easily everyone’s favourite Tokyo memory. Great value and an unforgettable experience.Thank you Andy.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jill_s
Apr 7, 2024
Outstanding and quiet tour - This was phenomenal. Really laid back tour packed with lots of inside info on what it's like to live in Tokyo. It's on the quieter side, so a nice complement to all of the big touristy activities.
Review provided by Viator
Jimbob66sydney
Apr 6, 2024
Hit the ground cycling! - Fantastic morning…..Andy was awesome, super knowledgeable about so many interesting aspects of Japanese life. The bikes were well maintained and fun to ride around. It wasn’t too busy so we always felt safe too. Some great food options which we wouldn’t have done if we hadn’t had him guiding us. Highly recommended! PS we did this the morning we arrived from Australia - a great thing to do to ease into your surroundings!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hayden_m
Apr 5, 2024
Such a worth while... - Such a worth while experience! We were fresh off the plane and new to Tokyo and Andy showing us the ropes and answering questions made all the difference for our experience in the city! Riding bikes was such a great was to view the neighborhoods and the quiet of the west side of Tokyo was a welcome plus from the craziness of the city!
Review provided by Viator
Josh_o
Apr 3, 2024
Local delights and bikes ! - Our tour guide gave us excellent insight into everyday Japanese life away from shibuya , Shinjuku, etc.
And this is exactly what I was looking for
Review provided by Viator
Drmelonholiday
Mar 28, 2024
Inner West Tokyo-style - Andy gave us a local view of life in the inner-West, Tokyo style. Safe, chill and friendly, answered all my silly questions (including the one about rubbish collection!).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Curious792927
Mar 19, 2024
Highly recommend - Fantastic experience! Andy is very knowledgeable in life in Japan and tools us on a fun ride through neighborhoods we would have never seen. Food was great too!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michael_z
Mar 18, 2024
Very good experience to learn about life in Tokyo - Visited Tokyo which we would no go by ourselves . Andy told us many interesting things too. Good experience!
Review provided by Viator
Brenda_g
Mar 13, 2024
Great Tokyo West Side Tour - I really enjoyed the tour. Our guide was Andy and he was so personable and knowledgeable. It was a great lesson in Japanese culture.
Review provided by Viator
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