LWIF EP212: Tokyo’s bike friendly ranking has plummeted (but it’s still great)

If you had asked me when I first visited Tokyo 24 years ago, I would have told you that cycling in the city was great. But the latest report by the Copenhagenize Index doesn’t rank it nearly as well as it used to. What’s up with the ranking? Sources:

• Copenhagenize Index https://copenhagenizeindex.eu/
• Average cycle trip in Japan https://cycling-embassy.jp/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Bicycle_Infographic_Embassy.pdf
• In Tokyo, bicycle is the fastest means of transport for trips under 5km https://www.toshiseibi.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/bunyabetsu/kotsu_butsuryu/pdf/katsuyo_suishin02.pdf
• JNTO Cycle Guide https://www.japan.travel/en/sports/cycling/guide/
• Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Cycling Rules https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/multilingual/english/traffic_safety/traffic_rules/SAFE_BICYCLE_RIDING.files/public.pdf
• Japan Cycling Handbook by the Cycling Embassy of Japan advocacy group https://cycling-embassy.jp/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Handbook_English_Web_final.pdf
• One year after road law revision, few cyclists in Japan wear helmets https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/04/02/japan/japan-cyclists-helmet-wearing/
• Crime in Tokyo Statistics https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/about_mpd/jokyo_tokei/jokyo/hanzai.files/tokyo.pdf
• Bicycle prices at Cycle Base Asahi https://www.cb-asahi.co.jp/
• Number of bikes sold in Japan each year https://jbpi.or.jp/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2022.pdf
• Japan’s National Bike to Work Ban by Tokyo by Bike https://www.tokyobybike.com/2013/10/japans-national-bike-to-work-ban.html
• Accident Insurance, Bicycle Commutes, and You https://generalunion.org/4334/
• Bicycle Modal Share in Tokyo https://www.tokyo-pt.jp/info_provision/traffic
• Bicycle boom: Why transportation in the ‘new normal’ is on two wheels https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2021/02/13/lifestyle/bicycle-boom-japan/
• Bike Share Programs are Taking Off https://www.toshiseibi.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/bunyabetsu/kotsu_butsuryu/pdf/katsuyo_suishin02.pdf
• Bike Network planning in Tokyo https://www.toshiseibi.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/bunyabetsu/kotsu_butsuryu/pdf/katsuyo_suishin07.pdf