One of the best ways to get around Tokyo is by bike: the city¡¯s cyclists are able to whizz down alleys too narrow for most traffic, sail the opposite way down a one-way street and bypass traffic jams by hopping up onto the sidewalk when necessary. Cycling around the city this way you won¡¯t get much hassle from local policemen, who tend to turn a blind eye to such minor traffic infractions, but you might find yourself stymied by the maze-like nature of Tokyo¡¯s streets.

These days there are a number of for the adventurous cyclist who wants to explore the city streets, but with so many phones possessing GPS capability is it worth investing in such a device? Surprisingly, while car-compatible GPS apps for cell phones proliferate, there¡¯s not much available for cyclists yet. As mentioned earlier, bicycles have more access to the narrower byways of Tokyo¡¯s streets, so using a pedestrian app like is preferable to a system designed for motorist that might have you cycling down polluted traffic clogged streets.

In April this year DoCoMo updated their car navigation system, , to include a mode aimed at cyclists to allow users to identify bike friendly routes. At ?315 a month, DoCoMo¡¯s system has the edge over devices such as ,?which costs nearly ?30,000. The problem though is that, unlike custom-made devices, no accompanying handlebar mount for cell phones has come out on the market, meaning that cyclists still have to keep stopping to consult their maps. Also, the NV-U35 is waterproof, so unless you¡¯re buying a brand new waterproof phone you might find a cell phone impossible to use in wet weather.