Bike + train = …

Posted by Claire Usmar on October 1, 2013 in Quick bites | Leave a comment

Owning a bike bag in Japan is a curious thing. This flyweight contraption into which you stuff one’s partially dismantled bike is the ticket to being able to take your bike on a train just like an over-sized handbag.

Suddenly your range is expanded immensely and those two wheels feel far more like four. Hello whole day rides that are one-way trips, with the return leg handled by the always on time Japanese trains. Starting at around 4,000 yen, bike bags are certainly one of the cheaper and great value biking accessories.

The convenience of this perk of living in Japan struck me recently when I hopped on a train to the next town over for dinner and took my bike with me. Rendezvousing with my friend at the other end, we then rode to our dinner destination. Now we could have gone there on foot, but who wants to walk a 50 minute round trip when riding is an option?

Dinner for the night was ramen at a mutual friend’s favourite ramen haunt, Kaikaya. It’s the place to go if you want to be swamped for choice with plenty of varieties of ramen on offer. Kaikaya is actually a small chain restaurant, with branches in Tsu, Hisai and Matsusaka. Certainly pay it a visit if ramen is your vice.

RESTAURANT DETAILS:

Kaikaya (開花屋)

Miyamachi 68-3, Matsusaka, Mie. (三重県松阪市宮町68-3)

0598-51-8113

Open every day. 11am – 2pm, 5pm – 3am!

Parking available (15 cars)