The Fascinating Life of a Tokyo Rickshaw Driver
For a long time, I ignored that the rickshaw was actually a Japanese invention! This old profession still subsists today in a newer form in Japan: the rickshaw drivers double as guides who often speak several languages. Let me introduce you to Mr. Taira, a rickshaw driver you can meet in Asakusa, Tokyo.
All the Things I didn’t Know about Rickshaws
Like most French people my age, as a child, I was a fan of Tintin’s adventures, and the scene in which Tintin rides a rickshaw in China in The Blue Lotus left a strong impression on me. It made me want to travel to Asia, but it also led me to a huge misconception: until quite recently, I thought the rickshaw was originally from China, but it was actually invented in Japan! The word ‘rickshaw’ itself comes from the Japanese word jinrikisha (人力車）, which can be translated as ‘human-powered vehicle’.
During the 17th century, the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was ruling the country, put a ban on all wheeled vehicles. In feudal Japan, two similar human-powered vehicles (without wheels) were in use, but they required two people to carry them: the kago, a litter for commoners, and…
