Shop Owner Builds Unique Bicycles Using Vintage Bike Parts in Chiba Pref.

By Yuta Nagatani / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

11:50 JST, November 18, 2025

MATSUDO, Chiba — Retro Cycle & Cafe in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, is a unique bicycle shop that manufactures bikes using parts from bicycles in stock at the shop, some of them dating back to the 1950s and gathered from across the country.

The shop makes “mama-chari,” which are workhorse bicycles named for their image of mothers using them to run everyday errands, among other types of bikes.

Fans flock to the shop from all over the country, each seeking a one-of-a-kind bike that exudes an air of the time its parts come from.

Walk 15 minutes or so from JR Shin-Yahashira Station, and you will see countless bicycles in front of the shop. Among them are mama-chari bikes that look a little sturdier than usual, as well as rare types of mountain bikes. While they evoke nostalgia, it is also clear to see that all the bicycles are well maintained and immaculately clean.

When I entered the shop by stepping through its noren curtain, I was greeted by Miyata — the shop’s cat. The shop is crammed with many old bicycle parts and sundry items.

“There’re so many things that have to do to my hobby,” the shop’s manager, Yukio Takada said with a laugh.

He opened Retro Cycle & Cafe in 2014, deciding to do so after being involved as a designer in a campaign to enlighten people on environment issues. He questioned the campaigners’ attitude of encouraging people to buy new products, saying, “You should trade up because this one is more eco-friendly.”

“I wanted to make bicycles unique in all the world that you’ll never want to get rid of,” Takada said.

He first opened his shop in Tokyo before moving it to its current location in 2018.

At the time of the launch, he faced one struggle after another. Vintage bicycles often came to him with no assembly instruction booklets, and almost none of their parts fit today’s standards. He received advice from other bicycle shop owners and overcame problems by trial and error.

“There are bikes that only I can fix,” he said a little proudly.

Aside from a few consumable items, he uses only old parts to make bicycles. He obtains those parts from acquaintances, through word of mouth or by pure chance. He then assembles a bike while deciding with the client which parts to use. It is not unusual for him to spend more than one year building a single bicycle.

“I have a feeling that the more time I take to build a bike, the better the client will take care of it,” Takada said, laughing.

He also holds a bicycle repair workshop at irregular intervals, and has built good relationships with participants.

“It’s fun to see the history of someone and his or her bicycle coming together piece by piece,” said Takada, who continues to run his business with delight in his heart.

Retro Cycle & Cafe

Address: Senpaku Kosha a, 408-1 Kawarazuka, Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture

Access: 15-minute walk from Shin-Yahashira Station on JR Musashino Line or Yabashira Station on Keisei Matsudo Line.

Hours: Open only on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 7 p.m. The cost of ordering a bicycle starts from about ¥70,000.