Create meetup in Tokyochevron_right
Select a place on the map to change the location.
I want to meet
Verified required?
want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
explore Tokyo Guides
bar_chart Trends in Tokyo
where can i rent/buy a bicycle for a cheap price in tokyo?
If you're staying a few months, the most overlooked option is Yahoo Auctions. Plenty of people list mamachari for pickup only, starting at 3,000 yen, and since nobody bids on pickup items in the middle of Tokyo, you usually get it at the starting price. You'll need to arrange your own transport, though, so bring a friend with a kei truck or rent one from Times for a couple hours.
Another angle: some universities have secondhand bike sales at the start of the semester, especially Waseda and Meiji, where graduating students dump bikes for 2,000 to 5,000 yen. They're not advertised much outside campus bulletin boards, but if you're near one, it's worth a walk through in April or September.
For short term, the Tokyo Bike Share is decent, but the real trick is the monthly pass. It's 2,700 yen a month and you can keep a bike out for 6 hours at a time instead of 2, which makes it workable for a whole day of exploring. Just be careful about docking stations in hilly areas like Sangenjaya, they fill up fast on weekends.
honestly, renting is a rip-off unless ur just here for a week. if u need it for a month+, hit up the recycle shops (2nd street or treasure factory) around setagaya or nakano. they got mamachari for like 8k-12k, sometimes even less if the chain is rusty. also, the police impound auctions are gold if u can read japanese, they list em on the ward website and u bid blind, but ive seen bikes go for 1,000 yen easy. just bring ur own lock, those things never come with one. for short term, the city bike share (docomo) is like 130 yen per 30 min, but u gotta return it every 2 hours or pay extra, so it only works for quick errands.
tbh the ward impound auctions are the real hidden gem but only if u can deal with the hassle. they post the list on the ward office site, usually on the second monday of the month, and u gotta go in person to bid. i got a decent mamachari for 1,500 yen once, just needed a new chain and some air in the tires. the catch is u have to pick it up the same day or they cancel ur win, so bring a friend and a car or plan to walk it home.
for renting short term, avoid the tourist shops near shinjuku station, they charge like 1,000 yen an hour. instead check the local bike shops in shitamachi areas like nihonbashi or ningyocho, some of em do weekly rentals for around 3,000 yen total. theyre not super advertised, just walk in and ask for "shuunai" and theyll usually have a beat-up bike in the back. oh and always test the brakes before u leave, half those rentals have spongy ones.
load 2 more replies
Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.