Kyoto Station's Automatic Underground Bicycle Parking Area This video, titled "Automatic Underground Bicycle Parking Lot Opened in Front of Kyoto Station" (京都駅前に機械式地下駐輪場がオープン) was released by SankeiNews. The first automated underground bicycle parking lot in Kyoto made big news when it was opened on February 11th, 2015 at the East and West Hachijou Entrance to Kyoto station. This is a video showing footage of the automated storage and retrieval of a bicycle from inside the underground parking lot that was made available to the press upon opening. It's a sight that one would normally never be able to see and well worth the watch! More About Kyoto Station's Automatic Underground Bicycle Parking Lot Source :YouTube screenshot The underground parking lot has a 12 meter deep cylindrical design and the footage of the automated storage of the bikes underground is truly amazing! You can take a look at this from 0:06 in the video. One of these underground parking lots (called Eco-cycles) can store approximately 200 bicycles. The way it works is that you place your bike into an elevator-type booth, simply push a button and the bicycle will automatically be stored away in the underground parking lot. You can see this in the opening scenes of the video. When you would like to retrieve your bicycle, all you have to do is swipe your designated IC card and your bike should arrive through the elevator-style booth in approximately 13 seconds. This can be seen at 0:17 in the video. As you can see in the video, the front wheel of the bicycle is held by a machine, which allows the machine to move the bicycle to the correct location. It's truly amazing to watch the machine at work! Advantages and Disadvantages of Automated Underground Parking Lots Source :YouTube screenshot It can no doubt be said that the new underground bicycle parking lot in Kyoto is very convenient, but it's not without its disadvantages. Let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of this system. First of all, one of the advantages of the underground parking lot is that, being indoors, there is less risk of one's bicycle being damaged by rain or possibly being stolen compared to if it were parked outdoors. Another advantage is that since the bicycles are neatly stored away, the iconic scenery of the streets of Kyoto can be easily maintained. However, one of the disadvantages of such a system is the development cost. The cost to build one of these parking lots is approximately 160,000,000 yen (roughly 1.5 million US dollars) with the overall construction cost coming to approximately 426,600,000 yen (roughly 4 million US dollars), far higher than a regular outdoor bicycle parking lot. It is hardly a sum than can be covered by usage charge alone. For this reason, it's unlikely that this kind of underground parking area will be adopted by many local governments without good reason for it. Furthermore, the lack of information on running performance, maintenance costs and the fact that the parking lot is not equipped to handle non-standard bicycles are all problems that still need to be dealt with. Kyoto Station Automated Underground Bicycle Parking Lot Usage Fee Photo：Bicycle parking area For those who wish to use the new underground parking lot, you'll need to enter a fixed-term contract, which currently costs 2700 yen per month (as of Jan 2020). It is also possible to pay for parking per day at a cost of 150 yen; however, the parking lot can often be full so it's best to search for alternative parking options beforehand. Those wishing to enter a fixed term contract need to ensure that their bicycle meets the required standards for the automatic parking lot. You must know your bicycle's length, width, height and position of the front and/or rear basket, tire size, bike weight, and position of gears and possibly several other measurements. Extra precautions must be taken for bikes which have unique or special designs, such as road bikes, mountain bikes, and more. Summary of Kyoto's Automated Underground Parking Lot What 'd you think of Kyoto's new underground bicycle parking lot? Kyoto station's south entrance has long been troubled with the unauthorized parking of bicycles. It is hoped that the completion of this new underground parking lot will bring and end to this problem and help contribute towards maintaining the beautiful scenery of Kyoto. Videos of bicycles being sucked up by the automated machinery of Kyoto's underground parking lot have attracted a lot of attention on social media, so much so that many tourists are visiting Kyoto for the sole purpose of seeing this unusual parking lot! The development of this automated parking lot in the futuristic city of Kyoto is sure to have a profound impact on the rest of the world. 【Official Website】Automatic Underground Bicycle Parking Lot introduction｜KYOTO PARKING NAVI https://kyotopublic.or.jp/bikepark/

Downhill Mountain Bike Racing This video is called [Downhill Mountain Bike Racing at a shrine in Kyoto](【ダウンヒル】大迫力！京都の神社でマウンテンバイク（MTB）のダウンヒルレース), and it was made by Gadgetwear. Watch and enjoy the thrilling white-knuckle race down the Shrine stairs. In this article, we'll introduce a video that shows the marvel of Downhill Mountain Bike Racing. This Downhill Mountain Bike Race Runs Down the Stairs at Intense Speed! Source :YouTube screenshot Downhill Mountain Bike Racing is bike racing competition where riders go down steep mountains. The Redbull Holly Ride competition was held at a historical sacred shrine in 2014. The competition was held at Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine in Yawata city, Kyoto. Bikers raced down the shrine stairs on downhill mountain bikes. You can see the racing style from 0:06 in the video. As you can see in the video, a crowd has gathered at the finish to watch this thrilling race on the road of Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine. Downhill Mountain Bike Racing Source :YouTube screenshot The total length of the race at Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine is about 800m and the height difference is about 100m from top to bottom. The maximum decline is about 22 degrees and the stairs have 396 steps in total. As you can see at 0:50 and 1:17 in the video, it shows how the course makes use of the landscape, aside from jumps. A qualification match will be held with a time trial and those who win can move on to the final tournament. The final tournament will be held in 4 cross-style which means 4 riders race at the same time. A downhill race is not at all like a climbing course in concept, It is a bike race that goes down through the mountains and wilderness from high places. Advanced riders can reach a speed of about 60 km per hour. This takes a lot of skill (and courage). Wearing a full face helmet and protector is mandatory for riders since there are some spots on the trail ways where it is easy to lose balance and crash. There is a scene where two bikers go off the course before the curve at 1:30 in the video. Racing Bikes Photo：Mountain Bike Dedicated mountain bikes are used in intense races such as downhill races or cross-country. A mountain bike has specialized parts such as tires, a frame and brakes to go fast, climb, ride on rough roads, and withstand high jumps. An all-mountain is a bike that works for uphill and downhill so it is good even for a ride on rocky mountains. Manufacturers such as Trek and Giant sell various kinds of models that are great for mountain bike racing. Tire sizes for mountain bikes are usually 27.5 inches, and the suspension and brake technology has greatly improved over the years. Of course, there are other more affordable models that are good for beginners and daily use as well. Downhill Mountain Bike Racing Summary Source :YouTube screenshot This video clip, made by Gadgetwear, shows a form of bike racing called Downhill Mountain Bike Racing at a shrine in Kyoto. It is truly impressive to see these riders fly down these stairs. You can see gut wrenching thrills in every minute of the video. After watching this video, you'll surely be hooked on Downhill Racing. Just be sure to wear a helmet! 【Official Website】Red Bull Holy Ride 2017 https://www.redbull.com/jp-ja/events/red-bull-holy-ride-2017

Hokkaido Rusutsu Resort Looking to explore Japan's vast wilderness? Experiencing various activities in nature, surrounded by rivers and mountains, enjoying a relaxing vacation... doesn’t that sound nice? If so, we highly recommend that you visit one of the largest mountain resorts in Hokkaido – Rusutsu Resort. This article introduces attractions at Rusutsu Resort, one of the best travel destinations in Japan, in both text and video form. Find your favorite thing to do among the various activities that Rusutsu Resort has to offer, About Hokkaido Rusutsu Resort Photo：Snowboarding Rusutsu Resort is a travel destination in Japan located in Rusutsu Village, Hokkaido. Surrounded by rich nature, the resort is visited by many tourists every year. With a variety of facilities, such as an amusement park, ski resort, golf course, and tennis court, the resort makes for an enjoyable location for the whole family to enjoy. Playing sports while experiencing the scenic beauty of Hokkaido is sure to be an unforgettable experience. Experience satisfying activities and a beautiful view that you can only find at Rusutsu Resort. Activities at Hokkaido's Rusutsu Resort! Source :YouTube screenshot Tourists can experience various kind of activities while enjoying the landscape of Hokkaido's Rusutsu Resort during the warm summer months. In the midst of the Shiribetsu River's magnificent nature, you can enjoy rafting, family river rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing and other river activities. Horseback riding, hot air balloon flights, orienteering, Mt. Yotei (羊蹄山, Yotei-zan), Panorama Terrace and the mountain bike tour are some of the most popular activities to enjoy in the great outdoors at Rusutsu. The footage of hot air balloon flights and horseback riding starts from 2:30 in the video. Experience summer the way its meant to be enjoyed, with a trip the whole family can enjoy. The best indoor activities are bouldering and handicraft workshops. As the resort has extensive restaurants and hotels, your trip there will be a lifelong memory. Rusutsu Resort's Number 1 Activity- Rafting Photo：Rafting Among the many activities that visitors can enjoy during the summer, rafting is definitely among the best. You can see footage of this at 0:08 in the video. Participants take a raft down about seven kilometers in Shiribetsu River surrounded by the beautiful nature in the foothills of Mt. Yotei. Feel the thrill as you overcome the rivers rougher areas! Working together as a family to overcome the powerful current is an exhilarating experience. It's something that's sure to make a life long memory. The scenery of the course changes with the seasons, which is why rafting is one of the most popular outdoor sports in Hokkaido. Just watching the video you can tell how much fun they're having. Summary of Rusutsu Resort It may seem like we introduced a lot of thigns to do at Rusutsu resort, but there's still more than we could get to in this article. The video shows a lot of the activities mentioned here, so we recommend checking it out if your interested! Rusutsu Resort is surrounded by the vast nature of Japan. As shown in the video, the resort has extensive facilities that both children and adults can enjoy. It's definitely a must-see tourist destination to throw on your bucket list. ◆Rusutsu Resort◆ 【Address】13, Izumikawa, Rusutsu-mura, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 048-1711 【Public transportation】About two hours from Sapporo Station by bus/About two hours from New Chitose Airport by bus 【Fee】Depends on the facility. Please check information on the official website. 【Hours】Depends on the facility. Please check information on the official website. 【Closures】Depends on the facility. Please check information on the official website. 【Parking】Available 【Phone number】 (+81) 136-46-3331 【Official Website】Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention - Rusutsu - Japan https://www.hokkaido-rusutsu.com/en-gb 【Tripadvisor】Rusutsu Resort https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1114488-d3536784-Reviews-Rusutsu_Resort-Rusutsu_mura_Abuta_gun_Hokkaido.html