@spambait I hope I made the right choice. If not, I think the Cadenza can quickly find a new home. One on eBay recently went for $450 to a local sale. I emailed the seller asking why the listing ended early.

@bookishboy I've had bikes in Japan (I bike&train to client sites during the week, bike tour on weekends) for over ten years, never had a sticker, and never had an enforcement issue. I'm there 4x/yr. The main purpose of the sticker is to reclaim the bike after a sweep of illegally parked bikes near trains stations. The usual "my bike was swept" scenario is "late for the train, park the bike illegally, rush into the train station, bike gets swept". I'm careful not to lock the bike near train stations or other likely sweep points. Also, I cable lock to a fixture (60 cm frames are rare as hen's teeth in Japan, which is good and bad... it's not a hot size to steal, but it also can't be quickly replaced). Also, there are too many bikes blocking suitable fixtures in the usual sweep points.

Japan ranks as the best cycling country in the world, IME. Everyone grew up with a bike, all but sarariman still ride them, so most drivers understand cyclists (the exceptions are truckers wigged on speed... not unique to Japan). The riding terrain outside the cities is phenomenal, i.e., seriously hilly and mountainous, but all roads are paved except in some areas of national parks. Lodgings and food are cheap in rural areas (I usually pay about $35~$40/night in rural areas for a minshuku, a B&B), but I've seen only a handful of other bike tourers in ten years. Oh ... it greatly helps to be fluent and literate in Japanese. Many Japanese innkeepers won't deal with foreigners... in part, they are afraid that in an emergency they won't be able to communicate. I always start the "do you have a room" dialog with a comment about a current news topic. Sometimes, after I have the room key in hand, the converation ends with the proprietor saying "It's too bad we couldn't have a conversation." I always reply, "Yes, it's too bad. We can have one when you visit Hawaii." Just as much a non sequitur as their comment.