There is an old Chinese poem. It goes:
少小离家老大回，乡音无改鬓毛衰
儿童相见不相识，笑问客从何处来。
I left home young, now old, I return care free,
My tongue unchanged, my hair now thinner be.
Unknown I am to the boys and girls I meet,
Smiling they ask, “Sir, from whence come thee?”
Presumably this bicycling salaryman hasn't been away at the office quite that long, but then again knowing Japanese office demands, I wouldn't be surprised...
But rather than Chinese poetry, maybe he has a simpler tune echoing in his head.
Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho
It's home from work I go
Although bicycle usage perhaps isn’t as high as the stereotype, it still is a pretty common way to get around, even for businessmen. The idea of seeing a businessman in a nice suit and tie on a bicycle might seem somewhat comical (or sad[1]) in the States, but it is a common enough occurrence as to be normal in Japan[2].
 | David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. |
One is reminded of the Margaret Thatcher quote, "Anyone who rides the bus after 25 is a failure." A harsh opinion from the Iron Lady. It doesn't seem farfetched to think she may have extended that quote to riding a bicycle to work. ↩
Nested in the bicycle basket was his briefcase. As in the US, hard briefcases went out of fashion a couple decades (or more) ago, but you still see them occasionally, especially with older folks. The type of bicycle he was riding—and the most common type you will see in Japan—is casually referred to as a mamachari (ママチャリ, literally "mom's bike"). Despite the name, everyone uses them. They aren't stylish, but they are solidly constructed and work well. ↩