OME, Tokyo -- The Ome Chamber of Commerce and Industry has set up rest spots for cyclists in various places in the city of Ome and the town of Okutama, both in Tokyo, to lure cyclists into taking a break and enjoying the area.
In an attempt to capitalize on the recent cycling boom, the chamber is encouraging cyclists, who otherwise tend to pass through those areas, to stop and enjoy dining and shopping, which is expected to vitalize local shops.
Banners advertising rest spots have been placed in 53 restaurants and other places in Ome and Okutama. These places allow cyclists to access potable water, use the restroom and charge their smartphone batteries for free. Bike stands and bicycle pumps are also available.
Since April 2019, the chamber has held meetings with its members, such as owners of bicycle shops and rental bike shops, to exchange information and opinions about the trend of cyclists visiting both municipalities.
From those meetings, a number of things were learned. For example, although Ome, located about 40 kilometers from Shinjuku Ward, is a pass point for people coming from central Tokyo, people tend to refrain from going into restaurants and shops because they are sweaty. Also, the number of female novice cyclists and foreigners is increasing. As a result, it was decided to set up these rest areas to draw them into local stores.
According to the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry's "Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities" conducted in 2016, Tokyo had the highest percentage of people among all prefectures choosing cycling as a sport they did in the past year, at 11.8%. Kanagawa Prefecture, which borders the Tama area, ranked third with 9.1%.
"More and more cyclists seem to come to Ome and Okutama," said Katsumi Yamazaki, head of the chamber's regional development division. "We want cyclists to use the resting spots and enjoy visiting Ome and Okutama."
Meanwhile, the Ome city government held a trial tour in November 2019, in which participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire after getting around two cycling courses in the city on power-assisted bikes with a tour guide, visiting spots for autumn leaves and Buddhist statues. Based on their answers, the local government plans to create a cycling map with explanations of highlights by March this year.
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