About 2,000 people took part in a bicycle event in Tokyo on Wednesday, with cyclists allowed to cross the iconic Rainbow Bridge for the first time since it opened in 1993.

Participants pedaled in the rain on several different courses of varying distances that also took in other parts of the bayside area, including the Odaiba tourist district.

Cyclists ride across Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo on Nov. 23, 2022. (Kyodo)

The event was organized by the Tokyo metropolitan government as part of the legacy of the Olympics and Paralympics held in the Japanese capital last summer.

A section of the Metropolitan Expressway that runs across the Rainbow Bridge was closed to allow the cyclists across.

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, who opened the event, said she hopes to show that "the charms of Tokyo include being able to enjoy cycling" in a healthy environment.

Yusuke Nakamura, a 45-year-old Yokohama resident, said that as he pedaled across the bridge spanning Tokyo Bay, he "felt like I had this scenery all to myself." He added he wants to ride again on a sunny day.

Takuma Sato, a 9-year-old elementary school pupil in Tokyo, said he enjoyed catching sight of Odaiba as he crossed the bridge. "I want another go," he said.