My observations from a few days biking in Kyoto:
The sidewalk riding is enhanced by the fact that they in essence have riding "lanes" in the middle of the sidewalk, and the pavement is kept pretty smooth. (Still, however, pretty sluggish riding).
The locks were usually a thin wire or the "donut" style which is attached to the rear wheel and can be closed to "lock" the bike (though the bike itself isn't attached to any other object). Says a lot about the culture that these locks are sufficient.
Biking on a $10 rental was by far the best way to get around Kyoto.