{
  "id": 16695151,
  "title": "News in Easy English: Aichi Pref. town rents high-price bikes for 1,000 yen a day",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/news-in-easy-english-aichi-pref-town-rents-high-price-bikes-for-1-000",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-27T02:00:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20261026/p2a/00m/0na/012000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kanie, a town in central Japan, has begun renting high-priced bicycles for 1,000 yen per day. Some of these bikes are worth up to 1 million yen. They feature famous parts from countries like Germany and Britain. Kanie is known for its flat terrain, making it ideal for cycling. The town is tiny, about one-thirtieth the size of its larger neighbor, Nagoya.\n\nThe bikes are available at the south exit of JR Kanie Station. Town officials suggest arriving by train, then switching to a bike to explore the area's attractions. Kanie has seven mini velo bikes, including Birdy and Brompton models. Each bike has a special Gokiso hub, made by Kondo Machine Corp., a company located in Kanie.\n\nThe Gokiso hubs are worth around 400,000 yen each, while the entire bikes range from 800,000 to 1 million yen. Despite their high value, daily rentals cost only 1,000 yen. Gokiso hubs use technology originally designed for aircraft engine parts, reducing pressure on small bearings. This allows riders to maintain speed even when they stop pedaling.\n\nTo rent a bike, visitors must reserve it in advance through the Kanie Taiken website. Questions can be directed to the municipal government's hometown promotion division at 0567-95-1111.",
  "summary": "KANIE, Aichi -- High-price bicycles are now for rent in this central Japan town. Some are worth up to 1 million yen (approx. $6,320). They have famous",
  "key_points": [
    "Kanie town rents high-priced bikes for 1,000 yen daily",
    "Bikes feature German, British parts, worth up to 1 million yen",
    "Gokiso hubs, made in Kanie, reduce bearing pressure"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}