Cherry Blossoms are Here + Riding my Mamachari

Spring has arrived in Tokyo. The cherry blossoms are blooming everywhere. This year, there are neither tourists nor local picnickers having their hanami under the trees. Despite having visited Japan several times before, this is my first time experiencing cherry blossom season. The photo below was from my run through Yoyogi park yesterday morning. It felt amazing to run under the cherry blossoms. The orange fences are meant to keep picnickers off the grass, because of Covid-19. 

Everything is sakura (cherry blossom) themed at the moment: sakura sweets, sakura tea, sakura mochi, even Starbucks has their seasonal sakura-themed drinks and mugs selling. 

This week I finally experienced commuting with two kids on my brand new mamachari. "Mamachari" literally means mom bike, but broadly refers to most commuter bikes, whether they have kids seats or not. These bikes are ubiquitous, and because Tokyo is hilly, most have electric assist. Bikes are king here. High population density and all that comes with it (scarce land, lack of parking, traffic congestion, etc.) combined with narrow, winding streets, makes it easier to commute on a bike than in a vehicle. My building's massive bicycle parking garage attests to how universal bike ownership is. 

We sold our car in Chicago and made the decision to live in Tokyo without a car. So far, I'm happy about this decision. I engage with my surroundings more on a bike or on foot than in a car, and this is especially true in a city with narrow winding streets and small shops. Also, it's healthier. And better for the environment. I dislike big hulking cars and won't miss seeing them everywhere. 

Mamacharis can carry up to two children and a utility basket. I don't know what the weight limit for the children are, only that mine have years to go before they reach it. There are a lot of different models and configurations you can choose from. 

You can see from the bike garage photo that people use rain covers that fully enclose the seat. The seats themselves are adjustable, like child car seats. These bikes are more than cool gadgets. They are truly meant for daily transportation under all weather conditions. A mamachari with electric assist, two child seats, and rain covers will run close to $2,000 USD. Expensive for a bike, but so much cheaper than a car. 

We went shopping for a two-child-seater mamachari at a store with an indoor testing track. As with so many things in Japan, such models are mostly designed for moms, and thus have small frames. We wanted one that we could both use comfortably, so we test rode models with relatively large frames. 

It was hard getting used to biking with all the additional weight. However, mamacharis are designed to carry heavy things and have a low center of gravity to improve stability. I more or less got the hang of it after a couple of rides. Here is the one we settled on, equipped with two child seats, a basket, and rain covers that I have yet to use. 

Usually I am acutely aware of the ways I stand out: my clothes, comportment, manners, everything. The reality is, being East Asian, I probably don't stand out as much as I think I do - unless I start talking. On my mamachari, however, whizzing along with all the other mamacharis during the prime commuting hours, I feel blended in and invisible (in a good way). The only difference, though, are our helmets. Helmets are uncommon, particularly on adults. 

One other downside is the lack of reinforced bike lanes. Narrow Tokyo streets are one continuous flow of pedestrians, bikers, and cars, inching forward, moving sideways, coexisting somehow. I wouldn't call it chaotic, but it's not always easy to navigate either. There is an unspoken order to it all. 

Lastly, a couple of scenes from my ride this morning, including the rare one of a dad on his bike with his kid in tow.