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w2go.jp relaunches with online booking
On 28 October 2026, w2go.jp, The081's bike and e-bike rental shop in Higashiyama, Kyoto, moved to a new website. Dates, availability, bikes and a ¥1,000 deposit now sit on one page, in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
By Icy, Founder & CEO of The081
Licensed Real Estate Broker (License No. 15131) | Registered Accommodation Manager (MLIT No. F03122) | Operating in Kyoto since 2019
TL;DR
w2go.jp is a bike and e-bike rental shop in Higashiyama, Kyoto, run by The081 (081株式会社). It has one shop and no branches.
The new website went live on 28 October 2026. Bookings are made at www.w2go.jp/book.
The site and the booking page are in English, Simplified Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
An online booking takes a ¥1,000 deposit by card; the rest is paid at pickup. There is no security deposit.
Changes and cancellations are free until 23:59 Kyoto time the day before pickup, with everything paid refunded.
City bikes cost ¥1,700 a day, e-bikes ¥2,700 and the child-seat e-bike ¥3,300. Three days take 10% off; seven days take 30% off.
At midday on 28 October, www.w2go.jp began pointing to a new server. The address stayed the same. Behind it are a new home page and a booking page the shop built itself.
On the old site, booking meant leaving for an external form, and filling it in and paying were two separate steps. The new site keeps everything in one place: you see which days have bikes, pay the deposit, and the booking exists the moment the payment clears.
Booking on one page
The booking page starts with pickup and return dates. The calendar colours each day by how many bikes are left, so a full day shows before you choose it. Bike types and quantities come next, and the total updates with every change, with the 3-day and 7-day discounts already applied.
Payment runs through Stripe. By default you pay a ¥1,000 deposit online and the rest at the counter, where cash, cards, Alipay and WeChat Pay are accepted. Rentals under 3 days can instead be paid in full online for 10% off; that discount does not stack with the multi-day ones.
The confirmation email carries a link to manage the booking, so you can change dates or cancel without writing to the shop. Online bookings cover up to 7 days and 8 bikes. Longer rentals and groups still go through WhatsApp or email.
Four languages, one set of rules
Most w2go customers are visitors from abroad. Each language has its own address: English at www.w2go.jp, Chinese at /zh/, Japanese at /ja/ and Korean at /ko/. Prices, opening hours and the cancellation policy carry the same figures in every language.
You do not hand over your passport at pickup. A photo of it, uploaded from your phone, is enough. Helmets and insurance are included in the price, and there is no security deposit.
The cancellation policy is printed on the booking page and in the confirmation email. Until 23:59 Kyoto time the day before pickup, changes and cancellations are free and everything paid is refunded. After that, the ¥1,000 deposit is kept and anything above it is refunded; no-shows are not refunded.
One shop, two routes
w2go has a single shop, at 589 Jihoin-anmachi, Higashiyama Mansion 1F, Higashiyama-ku, about 1.4 km by road from both Kiyomizu-dera and Gion. There is no Arashiyama branch and no other location. The counter is open 9:00 to 17:00 every day, and bikes can be returned at the door until 22:00.
E-bikes suit longer days out. A VELO STAR runs up to 50 km on one charge, and the GYUTTO CROOM R child-seat model 50 to 86 km. The site keeps two routes that start and end at the shop: the 3-day Kyoto cycling route covers Kiyomizu-dera, Ginkaku-ji and Kinkaku-ji, and the 7-day route adds Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari and Nijo Castle.
w2go belongs to the same company that runs more than 20 guesthouses in Kyoto, including a 3-bedroom house near Kiyomizu-dera.
FAQ
Where is w2go.jp?
589 Jihoin-anmachi, Higashiyama Mansion 1F, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 605-0871. It is the only w2go shop.
How much do I pay to book a bike online in Kyoto with w2go?
A ¥1,000 deposit by card. The rest is paid at pickup.
Can I cancel for free?
Yes, until 23:59 Kyoto time the day before pickup. Everything paid is refunded.
Do I need my physical passport to rent a bike?
No. A photo of your passport uploaded from your phone is enough.
Is the booking page available in Chinese, Japanese or Korean?
Yes. The site and the booking page come in all four languages.
From 28 October 2026, every w2go online booking is made at www.w2go.jp/book.