[Danger] Accidents Reported as "Reckless Bicycles" Run Rampant in Kyoto… Unaware Foreign Tourists Also at Fault [Sun! Shine News]
[ Video deleted ]
"Sun! Shine" follows up on a growing problem in central
Kyoto.
On certain stretches of Shijo Street and Kawaramachi Street, bicycle traffic is partially restricted due to heavy traffic and safety concerns.
However, these rules have not taken hold among many foreign tourists, and dangerous situations continue.
What did our stakeout investigation at the intersection of these two streets reveal?
("Sun! Shine" broadcast on September 4, 2025)
インバウンド（訪日外国人客）でにぎわう古都・京都で、レンタサイクルなど自転車絡みの事故が後を絶たない。京都市の市道では7月下旬、自転車と接触しかけた市営バスが急ブレーキをかけ、転倒した乗客の女性が骨
Reckless Bicycles Rampaging Through the Ancient Capital of Kyoto – Accidents on the Rise, Cyclists Ignoring Traffic Bans and Rules – Foreign Tourists Unaware of Regulations Also at Fault
In the tourist-packed ancient capital of Kyoto, where inbound visitors flock, accidents involving bicycles—particularly rental bikes—continue to occur.
In late July, on a road in Kyoto City, a city bus was forced to brake suddenly to avoid a collision with a bicycle. A female passenger fell inside the bus and fractured a bone. Many tourists, unaware of traffic restrictions, are also riding into no-bicycle zones.
With Kyoto's flat terrain making cycling easy, dangerous riding has increased. The Kyoto Prefectural Police are now tightening patrols.
[Photo] An officer from the Prefectural Police's Bicycle Enforcement Unit (Be-Unit) stops a rider cycling with earphones through a prohibited zone.
Unaware Riders Entering Restricted Areas
"Hey, watch out! Bicycles aren't allowed here!"
On Shijo Street, one of Kyoto's busiest main avenues filled with taxis and private cars heading toward tourist spots, a police officer from the Kyoto Prefectural Police shouted loudly.
Turning around was a surprised foreign tourist, confused and asking why he was being stopped.
The crackdown was being carried out by the Bicycle Enforcement Squad—nicknamed Be-Unit—established in April last year within the traffic division of the Prefectural Police. Officers patrol mainly the narrow streets and one-way roads of central Kyoto, riding bicycles themselves to monitor reckless riders and e-scooter users.
Although regular crackdowns are conducted on Shijo Street, violations continue daily.
Because Kyoto's city centre is flat, bicycles are used everywhere, making the prevention of accidents between cars and bicycles one of the most urgent issues.
Longstanding Restrictions
To prevent such accidents, bicycles and other light vehicles are prohibited from travelling on sections of Shijo and Kawaramachi Streets between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., when traffic is heaviest.
Police say records of when the rule first began are missing, but it has existed for at least 30 years, likely linked to traffic safety concerns when streetcars still ran there.
Signs clearly indicate the restrictions, yet many tourists remain unaware. In recent years, rental-bike users in particular have been frequent violators.
Ongoing Dangers
The situation is especially dangerous on Shijo Street, where sidewalk expansion in 2014 reduced the number of traffic lanes from two to one in each direction. With buses and taxis constantly stopping and starting to pick up passengers, the road remains hazardous for cyclists—even outside the restricted hours.
Over the past five years, around 10 bicycle accidents have occurred in this restricted zone, police say. Six of them happened during the hours when bicycles were officially banned.
Police on Alert
With Kyoto experiencing an unprecedented boom in inbound tourism, the risk of rule-ignorant visitors repeatedly committing violations on rental bikes is growing. The police are working with relevant organisations and are requesting that rental operators explain the restrictions to customers.
A senior police official stressed:
"We see a noticeable lack of awareness about rules and manners among bicycle users. Cyclists must recognise they are operating vehicles, and act with responsibility."
(Reported by Ginga Onoda)