Free and cheap bike rental in Japan

In many Japanese cities, you can rent a bike for free or for a very small fee — sometimes as little as 100 yen for the day. The local tourist information office is the best first stop: they're often located right at or near the train station, and either rent bikes directly or will point you to a nearby rental service and draw you a map.

The station information counter is another good place to ask. Staff are used to the question and will know what's available in town.

Policies vary by city — some allow you to drop off bikes at different points around town, others require you to return to the same spot. Returns are typically due between 16:00 and 21:00 depending on the provider, so it's worth confirming when you pick up.

Cities where I've personally found free or near-free bike rental include Himeji, Tsuruoka, Akita, Morioka and Kumamoto, among others — but this is far from an exhaustive list. It's always worth asking wherever you are.