Rock 5500 mountain bike
Having a bicycle in Japan is an absolute necessity. It’s the only way to travel, unless the distance is so great that you need to take the train. Since my arrival in Japan in April 2008, I’d been using a borrowed mountain bike owned by a friend. But that couldn’t go on forever, so when I got my own flat, I also got my own bike.
It’s a Giant brand blue-colored Rock 5500 mountain bike. It’s nothing special in the world of mountain bikes – another Taiwan factory-assembled bicycle – but it’s new, it rides great, and it’s all mine. 
I’ve outfitted it with a headlight and a taillight (not only is it safer at night with a headlamp, but it also seems to help avoid being stopped by the police for random ID checks), and I have a pretty super-duty cable lock to help keep it from being stolen. As an aside, Japan is an exceptionally safe country. The safety of your valuables as well as your personal security are virtually assured. But bicycle theft is the one category of crime that is rampant in Japanese cities. The moral of the story is this: buy a good lock and use it.
