Cycling Day

What Is Cycling Day?

Every May 22nd is "Cycling Day" (サイクリングの日, Saikuringu no Hi) in Japan. On May 22, 1964, the Japan Cycling Association (公益財団法人日本サイクリング協会, JCA) was approved by the Minister of Education as a foundation to promote cycling, following the 1961 Sports Promotion Act, which called for encouraging cycling. In 2009 the association declared the date "Cycling Day" to commemorate this. May — with its mild weather, fresh greenery, and long daylight hours — is also an ideal time to encourage people to experience the pleasures of cycling in Japan's diverse landscapes.

Cycling Culture in Japan

Japan has a remarkable cycling culture with several distinct dimensions: utility cycling (自転車通勤, jitensha tsūkin — bicycle commuting, used by millions of urban workers and students for short daily trips), competitive road cycling and mountain biking (following international cycling's growing popularity), and recreational "cycling tourism" (サイクルツーリズム, saikuru tsūrizumu) that has grown dramatically as infrastructure has improved. Japan has invested significantly in cycling infrastructure — including dedicated cycling roads (自転車道), traffic-free cycling trails along former railway lines, and the famous "Shimanami Kaidō" cycling route across the Seto Inland Sea.

Shimanami Kaidō: Japan's Cycling Icon

The Nishiseto Expressway cycling route (通称「しまなみ海道」サイクリングロード) connecting Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture to Imabari in Ehime Prefecture across six islands and a series of bridges — approximately 70 kilometers — has become Japan's most internationally recognized cycling destination. The route's combination of suspension bridge crossings, scenic island landscapes, and traditional Japanese inn (旅館, ryokan) accommodations has attracted cyclists from across Japan and internationally.

Fun Facts

• Mamachari culture: Japan's "mamachari" (ママチャリ, "mom's bicycle") — a sturdy, upright utility bicycle with a basket, increasingly with electric assist — is a familiar sight, carrying groceries, children, and everyday cargo through Japan's residential neighborhoods.
• Bicycle parking: Japan's major train stations contend with an enormous number of bicycles ridden to the station by commuters — creating both dedicated bicycle parking facilities (駐輪場, chūrinjo) and persistent problems of illegally parked bicycles (放置自転車, hōchi jitensha) that municipal governments regularly address through confiscation programs.