Neighborhood Hirakata

Hirakata is a small town in Osaka on the mainland, Honshu. Hirakata is not a big city with large buildings and huge population. It is more like a rural town with small houses and shops.

As previously mentioned in the last blog, bycicle is a part of transportation means in Kansai region. Few bycicle shops can be easily found near Kansai Gaidai University. Although automobiles are common in Hirakata, it seems that bycicle takes a huge portion of transportation. Bycicle parking lots can be easily found near most shops in this region. Above picture is the bycicle parking lot in the Kansai Gaidai University. Many students commute by bike.

Bycicles have become very important part of daily life for a number of reasons. Few of them of my knowledge include lack of car parking lot spaces, expensive public transportation fee, and high gas price.

Because bycicles have become a part of Hirakata culture, there are many regulations for bycicle riders. For example, bike riders must install light to their bycicles and turn it on during night. Also, there are certain places riders cannot ride their bikes, including parks and Kansai Gaidai school campus. The above picture shows the barrier and sign, preventing people from riding their bikes inside of the park. The primary purpose of these regulations is safety.