A new initiative in Kyoto to make bicycling easier is an excellent start to reducing carbon emissions, while also making the city more tourist-friendly and letting long-term residents do their daily chores conveniently. The main push for this change is of course the millions of tourists who voted Kyoto the best city to visit. Those visitors to the ancient capital, which topped 50 million in 2013, would like the option of experiencing the city by bicycling, since as much of Kyoto's vibrancy comes from its small streets as from its impressive monuments.

The Kyoto Municipal Government announced plans to make the city more bicycle-friendly by 2020. Money will be spent on adding bicycle lanes, increasing parking spaces and expanding bike tours through cooperation with the private sector. Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and other large cities could learn a lot from Kyoto's progressive vision. Tourism might be the incentive in Kyoto, but residents throughout Japan will benefit too.

The specifics of increasing cycling, though, take time and effort to set up and fully integrate. Many cities, like Kyoto, have started to crack down on illegal bicycle parking. However, convenient parking spots should be installed first before such crackdowns. Bike lanes are absolutely essential for safe movement, especially by tourists who may not know their way around very well.