Almost everyone in Japan has a bike and many people use their bikes daily. As soon as you get here, whether you buy a new bike or inherit one from your predecessor, there are two steps you will want to take ASAP. (1) Registering your bike with the police and (2) getting insurance for your bike.
Registering your Bike
In Japan, all bikes must be registered with the police. After purchasing a bicycle, you are obligated to register your bike particularly in cities. The police can ask for proof of ownership at any time, and if you do not have proof of ownership, you could be accused of stealing the bike you are riding. People living in the inaka often do not register but if you do, the police will be able to help you track down your bike if it is missing.
The registration process is called 「自転車 防犯登録」 (jitensha bōhan tōroku) and usually costs around 500 yen.
- If you purchase a new bike from a brick-and-mortar store: You will complete the registration at the store. You will be asked to fill out some personal information on a form, and the shop will forward that information on to the police for you. After the paperwork has been filled out, they will give you a registration sticker (think of this as a mini license plate) to place on your new bike.
- If you purchase a bike online: You will need to fill out the registration form and take it to your local police station for registration yourself. You will need to bring your receipt as proof of purchase with you as well.
- If you buy a used bike: If you buy a used bicycle, you will need to fill out two forms and take them to your local police station for registration. You will need to fill out a bicycle purchase form, and you will need the previous owner to fill out a bicycle transfer form.
- If you inherit a bike from your predecessor: This is considered the same as if you have purchased a used bicycle, and you must go through the ownership transfer process.
Once your bicycle is registered in your name, you are legally responsible for its location even if it is stolen. In the event that your bike ends up somewhere many kilometers away from your location due to theft, you are responsible for retrieving it. If you pass on your bike to your predecessor when you leave Japan without transferring ownership, you are still legally responsible for it as well.
Getting Bicycle Insurance
It is highly recommended that you also purchase bicycle insurance in Japan. It is inexpensive, and in the event that your bike is stolen, damaged, or you are involved in an accident while riding it, you will be entitled to some financial compensation. In some cities, such as Tokyo and Sendai, you are legally obligated to be enrolled in bicycle insurance. Check and see if your area has a requirement like this just in case!
There are various private insurance companies that offer bike insurance. If you purchase a bike from a store, you will likely be offered an option to set up insurance at the same time.
If for some reason you do not set up insurance when you purchase your bike, or the person you got the bike from either does not have insurance or does not transfer their insurance over to you, please reach out to the police to find a location where you can purchase insurance. You can also walk into almost any bicycle store and ask if you can insure your bike there. Even some conbinis sell bicycle insurance!
Bicycle Signs
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(1) The red circular sign indicates that bicycles may not enter that area.
(2) The blue sign means that pedestrians and bicyclists are allowed to mix in a particular area. Treat stop signs on a bike just as you would when driving a car.
(3) The stop sign in Japan is triangular, and says 止まれ (tomare) which means ‘stop’ in Japanese.
