Some photos of Japanese bikes from a recent trip I took there:

Another interesting folder idea - badged Bianchi but I'm guessing made in China...

http://i27.tinypic.com/2qxxixc.jpg

A Raleigh in the (wonderful) Tokyu Hands hardware/housewares store. I thought these 20-inch wheel bikes were interesting if you are pressed for space.

http://i27.tinypic.com/aazwu8.jpg

Tokyu Hands house-brand bike:

http://i27.tinypic.com/24xhycx.jpg

My visit to Grand Bois:

http://i31.tinypic.com/15hgcbr.jpg

A customer rode up on a beautiful Grand Bois, and there was a Toei already in the rack next to it:

http://i26.tinypic.com/28vd1d2.jpg

Inside, there were a couple of new Grand Bois bikes, which (after asking permission) I shot from outside (by the way, the light blue bike behind the green one is a 60's-vintage Rene Herse).

http://i28.tinypic.com/2vuws9s.jpg

That tears it. I'm going to Kyoto. My wife has been bugging me anyway.

John

They're not far from the JR line, about 20 minutes from the central JR Kyoto station:

http://www.cyclesgrandbois.com/access/index.html