We were provided with the address to meet and we navigated there from Akihabara station. It wasn't difficult to find but I think there may have been a closer station that I missed :|. In any case, we found the Docomo Bike Share shop and the host was right there to greet us and give us a really quick intro to the tour.
Just like that, we were back outside and trying out the bikes for ourselves after learning about the power button, gears and bell. Takashi also provided gloves to those who needed it and mentioned that he would have an extra sweater for me in case it got cold since he was worried that my coat was too thin lol.
Once we were comfortable riding around, we were off! Takashi led the group and then we did our best to follow him (no specific order). There was another staff member who followed the last biker. It's a bit difficult to take photos while riding the bikes since we're on the sidewalks or streets, but we did stop often at intersections and took them when we could.
Our first stop of the tour was Fukutoku Jinja and Yakuso Shrine which Takashi explained was to protect pharmacists and that's why there were a lot of big pharmaceutical companies in the immediate area.
We also stopped at the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Next was the Chuo-ohashi bridge over the Sumida River where we hung out with the Statue of Messenger which was brought over from France.
A bit more biking and it was as if we crossed into an older era of Tokyo in Tsukishima! There's a section of buildings that are part of the "old town" and the contrast with all of the new development is really charming.
It was time for a break! We biked our way over to monja street to try this popular melon pan. Takashi brought out benches from the alley so we could sit and then provided the pastries to us. The melon pan was so warm and fluffy and also surprisingly huge. Perfect for the cold winter night.
Since J is a pescatarian, she wasn't going to partake in the chicken karaage that Takashi also went to get for us. Instead, she was offered a second pastry of her choice from the melon pan bakery! She chose a sweet potato pie.
We love monja street!
The big feature of this tour was Harumi Wharf. We spent a lot of time here taking photos and enjoying the view. Takashi told us this was a popular spot for couples to visit! (This was also an option for a bathroom break if you needed it.)
This is the location of the old Tsukiji Fish Market! I've been to the outer market many times, but have never seen this side of it. Takashi also told us about the origin of Yoshinoya (the gyudon chain!).
A brief stop at the Tsukiji Honganji Temple as well
and the Kabuki-za Theater.
We also rode through Ginza in the middle of all of the high end brands, all lit up at night.
There were many illuminations in full effect throughout the route for the tour. It was absolutely amazing to ride through while all the trees were lit up. I wish I could have captured it somehow but I never mastered both biking and taking photos.
Last stop on the tour was Tokyo Station! I've never seen it from the outside at night. After taking our last photos, we returned the bikes to a nearby Docomo Bike Share shop, thanked Takashi and walked across the street into the station - so convenient.
The tour started at 18:00 and we ended almost exactly at 21:00, so it was a 3 hour tour! There were plenty of stops and places to rest, but the bikes were also super easy to ride, even up hills and for longer distances. The only thing that was a slight bummer was that it ended up getting really cold (especially for my face), but with the face mask and scarf, that helped a lot. However, that's really just a side effect of the season (not at all the fault of the host) and if you visit during a milder time, I'm sure it would be even more enjoyable.
Takashi was very knowledgeable and we always felt like he was in control of the group and the route. There were a couple times when there was a crowd of people through where we wanted to ride, but he led the way with confidence. He had a tidbit or a few facts about each place we stopped and was also easily able to answer any questions.
There were two other people (a couple) on the tour with us, but having strangers in the group didn't hinder our enjoyment of the tour. Takashi provided his undivided attention to each of our groups individually.
The snacks we had in the middle of the tour was one of my highlights of the entire trip! It could have just been the timing, but everything was absolutely delicious (and already included in the tour). We'll definitely consider trying to get back there during a future trip.
Overall, I had a really great time on the tour. I've been to Japan about 13 times (pretty much always including or featuring a Tokyo stay) and have never been to almost all of the places that we visited. Even if I had, visiting at night and on a bike made it an entirely different experience in the best way. I don't know if I ever would have made it out to some of these areas without the aid of the bike! We will look to do another ebike tour with Takashi when we inevitably return to Tokyo. Tbh if I had to choose between this and MariCar, I think I would chose the ebikes!
The map showing where we biked provided by Takashi:
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