Japan's transportation system is so much more widespread and effective than in the U.S., and the public transportation is what many people rely on to get from place to place. There are bike garages at train stations for people who have to take a train but are don't live right by the station. Public transport is highly reliable and on time 99% of the time, as well as being clean and often comfortable.
In Akita, most people get around by car, bus, or train. Professors and staff primarily use cars because Akita International University is about a 20 minute car ride away from the outskirts of the actual city. Students like me take the bus to the mall 15 minutes away. From there, we can take another bus for about 30 minutes to get further into the city. Once at major destinations like the Aeon Mall, Akita Station, or train stops along the line, it is common to walk 20 minutes or more to a chosen destination. I have seen some people on bikes, but not as many as I was expecting. Akita City has a population of roughly 300,000 people and Akita Prefecture itself is under 1 million people, so there are a lot of rural areas. People are more likely to use cars in Japan in rural areas where the public transportation system may not be able to get them from their home to their workplace.
