If you have ever read manga, watched anime, you have probably come across scenes with characters on bicycles on country roads and in urban areas. Most often college and high school students because more than 90% of the main characters in manga are between fourteen and seventeen years old. However, when we think of Japan, we rather imagine kimonos, sushi, Buddhist and Shinto temples, youkai, Pokemon and all the Nintendo licenses through martial arts and otaku culture. The bicycle, on the other hand, is certainly not the element that most marks the spirits. When we talk about cycling, the places that immediately come to mind are the Netherlands or Portland, Oregon, which has made cycling a priority, without forgetting of course China and its hundreds of millions of cyclists.
Yet Japan is one of the great cycling nations in the world. And before we delve further into the subject, here is a small list of vocabulary words as you appreciate them so much.
自転車 .
ジテンシャ
. the bicycle
電動自転車 .
デンドウジテンシャ
. the electric bicycle
電気自転車 .
デンキジテンシャ
. the electric bicycle
ママチャリ
. the city bicycle (often abbreviated チャリ and チャリンコ)
バイシクル / バイク (short form of バイシクル)
. the bicycle
マウンテンバイク / バイク (short form of マウンテンバイク)
. the mountain bike, the MTB
四輪自転車 .
ヨンリンジテンシャ
. the four-wheeled bicycle, the quadricycle
クアドラサイクル / クアドロサイクル
. the four-wheeled bicycle, the quadricycle
ウォーキングバイシクル
. the walking bicycle
竹製自転車 .
たけセイジテンシャ
. the bamboo bike
バンブーバイク
. the bamboo bike
自転車屋 .
ジテンシャや
. the bike shop, the bike store
自転車店 .
ジテンシャテン
. the bike shop, the bike store
バイクショップ
. the bike shop
バイクストル
. the bike store
自転車道 .
ジテンシャドウ
. the bikeway
自転車道路 .
ジテンシャドウロ
. the bikeway
バイクウェイ
. the bikeway
サイクリスト
. the cyclist
車輪 .
シャリン
. the wheel
ペダル
. the pedal
バイクペダル
. the bike pedal
ブレーキ
. the brake
自転車チェーン .
ジテンシャチェーン
. the bike chain, the bicycle chain
バイクチェーン
. the bike chain
サイクリングチェーン
. the cycling chain
チェーンガード
. the chain guard
マッドガード
. the mudguard
リアキックスタンド
. the rear kickstand
子供用シート .
こどもヨウシート
. the child seat
チャイルドシート
. the child seat
駐車場 .
チュウシャジョウ
. the parking
駐輪場 .
チュウリンジョウ
. the bicycle parking
自転車駐車場 .
ジテンシャチュウシャジョウ
. the bicycle parking
Remember, in the lesson on means of transport, we saw the word バイク. This word can designate either the bicycle (in this case, it is the abbreviated form of the word バイシクル, from the English "bicycle"), or the motorcycle, in this case the word バイク comes from the English "bike ". It is quite rare for English words that have been katakanized to give rise to the same katakana writing and therefore the same pronunciation for two different words, but it does happen sometimes. Moreover, in English too, the word "bike" can just as well designate the bicycle as the motorcycle. Even the word マウンテンバイク ("mountain bike" in English) is sometimes abbreviated "bike" in English and therefore "バイク" in Japanese.
Finally, the word ママチャリ designates the city bike. Often abbreviated チャリ and チャリンコ, composed of ママ (mother, mom) and チャリ (bicycle), urban type generally used by young mothers with a child seat installed in the back and a basket in the front.
Also remember, we saw the words 電気 . デンキ and 電動 . デンドウ in several words during this second season. They are often translated into English as qualifying adjectives to designate objects, vehicles and devices powered by electricity. The word 電子 . デンシ means "(the) electronics". The child’s kanji 子 expresses the idea of something smaller.
Of course, according to the Japanese grammar 電子 . デンシ is NOT an adjective. Refer to the explanations I gave you in a previous vocabulary lesson on means of transport.
With a population of 127 million, Japan has 72 million bicycles, with more than 10 million new bicycles sold every year. The bicycle has always been a popular form of transport in Japan, and even today it is particularly practical for covering short distances or shopping in neighborhood shops. Indeed, the average distance traveled by bicycle is less than 2 km. In Tokyo itself, 14% of all trips made in a day are made by bicycle. The percentage may seem low, especially when compared to other cities. But given the size of the Japanese capital and the total number of journeys made in one of the most densely populated metropolises in the world, this figure takes on an almost remarkable dimension.
One of the main reasons for this low percentage has to do with the efficiency of the public transport system. With so many trains and buses connecting residential areas and suburban neighborhoods to schools and business districts, commuting by bike is not a priority. Another explanation is to be found on the business side. Many of them discourage or even prohibit their employees from cycling to work in order to avoid problems related to accidents. That said, more than 20% of the 20 million daily rail passengers in the capital use the bicycle to get from their home to the station, as it is a faster and more convenient way than walking or taking the bus.
In addition, in recent years, more and more people have chosen the bicycle over the car and the train, both as a way to keep in shape, and also to avoid traffic jams and trains too often crowded at peak times. Some companies now seem happy with this development, going so far as to provide spaces where people can shower and park their bicycles.
The events of March 11, 2011 greatly contributed to making cycling more attractive. The great earthquake that devastated the northeast of the archipelago paralyzed all transport systems in the Tokyo region, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to walk long hours to return home or to spend the night in temporary shelters in the city center. Cycling has emerged as a good way to avoid being stranded far from home in the event of a major disaster.
So why does cycling in Japan go unnoticed despite all those people who use a bike daily? We must probably look for the answer on the side of cyclists who do not seek to be noticed. While in Europe or the United States, the use of the bicycle is often associated with a crusade against cars deemed to be polluting, as illustrated by the numerous demonstrations organized by the defenders of the little queen, most Japanese consider bicycle in a more neutral way, seeing it as simply part and parcel of everyday life. In other words, the bicycle does not represent an instrument of advocacy, but a simple and effective tool to facilitate daily life, whether for shopping, going to pay bills, going on a romantic date, going to the doctor or taking the children at school.
Unfortunately, cycling culture in Japan faces many challenges. On the one hand, cyclists are seen by many people (especially drivers and pedestrians) as a nuisance. A recent increase in accidents involving bicycles has failed to improve the public image of bicycle. The police have also become much tougher on cyclists. Also, the recent fixed-gear bike craze has been both a blessing and a curse for bicycling in general. On the one hand, owning such a bike has become something of a fashion statement, sparking a new interest in the bicycle and pushing many people to get one. On the other hand, all these inexperienced cyclists have taken over the streets and sidewalks in all major cities in Japan, which has contributed to the increase in the number of accidents, especially between pedestrians and cyclists.
While fixed-gear bicycles are the most popular today, Japan’s most characteristic bicycles are the mamachari, literally “mom’s bicycles”. Almost every family has at least one. These gearless means of locomotion can be incredibly slow and difficult to maneuver (which is probably why Japanese mothers are so thin, healthy and lively). They are used to help doing the hard work, from shopping to getting to the station, passing by transporting the children to school or to the swimming pool. As each neighborhood – especially in the suburbs – is a self-contained world where residents can find everything they need, a mamachari is a much better and more efficient solution than a car, especially since there is a lack of space. parking spaces, the presence of narrow streets and the relatively short distances to cover to reach the various targeted locations.
Now, bicycle manufacturers are offering lighter models and even electric-assisted bikes for those who have to face hills, but the basic physiognomy of the mamachari has not changed: a sturdy frame, front basket, rear rack, mudguard, chain guard, dynamo, integrated lock, bell and a sturdy rear kickstand that holds the upright when parked.
Most of these bikes are pretty cheap (they cost between $85 and $170). They are basically considered a disposable item, like those plastic umbrellas that people buy for a few hundred yen and forget about everywhere. Mamachari are regularly left outside the house, exposed to rain, wind and snow. Their owners do not know how to maintain them or simply do not care at all. They let them rust until the day they throw them away and buy another again. In any case, that was in another era. With the awareness related to the environment, the need to reduce pollution and stop waste, mamachari are still much better treated today.
As Japanese mothers use their bicycles to transport their young offspring, it is not uncommon to see mamachari equipped with one, two or even three child seats. Seeing these sometimes rusty objects on wheels move slowly in the middle of traffic is a breathtaking sight. Yet these intrepid moms are just going about their daily business. When the government recently wanted to ban the transport of two children on a mamachari, mothers across Japan campaigned against the plan and the government was forced to back down.
While the suburbs are relatively safe havens for bicycle, cyclists face great difficulty in the city centres. A metropolis like Tokyo, for example, only has 10 km of dedicated cycle paths – a ridiculously low figure compared to Paris (600 km), London (900 km) or New York (1,500 km). Part of the problem is linked to the fact that cycling infrastructure is the responsibility of each of the 23 districts of the capital, which explains the lack of coordination. Recently, a few central boroughs managed to agree to create more bike paths and even offer a bike-sharing service.
Japan is also one of the world leaders in utility bicycles and the Japanese are increasingly aware that the bicycle must be supported and encouraged as it brings benefits to the environment, health, economy and society in general. However, this does not prevent more bicycles from being encountered on the road. Bicycle advocates therefore continue to encourage the use of bicycles and to demand better infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists from elected officials. It remains to be hoped that the leaders will build the infrastructure that a city like Tokyo deserves.
Do you know that the first bamboo bicycle patent was registered in England by the Bamboo Cycle Company on April 26, 1894? The bamboo bicycle is therefore not a recent invention but was for a long time shelved, replaced by bicycles made of steel and aluminum, harder industrial metals. Bamboo has therefore never been used on a large scale to make bicycles.
Although the bicycle is a basic means of transport, both in rural and urbanized areas, bamboo bicycles are currently not widely used. However, with the advent of the « green » policy, bamboo is once again being used, mainly for high-end racing bicycles.
Today, bamboo bikes are beginning to enter the market as an alternative to aluminum or metal bikes. However, their prices remain relatively high. Brands are entering the bamboo bicycle market, especially Western brands, justifying themselves by invoking the ecological and « sustainable » side of their products. Other brands, especially in Ghana (Africa) and in several Asian countries offer more affordable prices.
As you could see, a means of transport such as the bicycle in Japan turned out to be a rather large subject. There was a lot to talk about and once again you learned a lot about Japanese culture. Besides, I take this opportunity to tell you that cycling is good for your health, it does not pollute (except during the production and import/export phases... it’s a disaster!) and it’s a good opportunity to play sports and learn how to change a tire.
In case you weren’t counting, this vocabulary course contains thirty-four words to learn. I could have added words like "the lock" or "the dynamo" but that would have been a lot. I may try to place these words somewhere in another lesson. Otherwise, feel free to look it up in the dictionary.
It’s finally high time to leave you with the little redundant phrase that always makes you happy. Do not hesitate to reread the course several times to fully assimilate everything we have just seen, train yourself again and again to write your hiragana, your katakana and your kanji. Revise the vocabulary even in the previous lessons... I seem to have copied and pasted that somewhere.
Anyway, thank you all for reading this course and good luck for the future.
Introduction