The Passing of the Rickshaw

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 245, 17 October 1939, Page 12

The Passing of the Rickshaw

The rikisha, or rickshaw, long the epical mode of urban passenger trans* ort in the East, is going out of ashion, says the Japan Times. . The strict control in the supply of | asoline and the marked shortage of axis or the rise in taxi fares in conse* uence has recently instinctively turnd people’s attention to the rikisha, a i ©hide that had practically disappeared nd been forgotten. There was evidence I een in some parts of Tokio that the ikisha was making a comeback, and for time it seemed as if there would be warms of the once-familiar hooded 'land gondolas,” as a European fondly escribed the carriage. When the taxi began accommodating he public with a speed which easily utdistanced any rikisha, and at price rhich, if divided among four or live essengers riding in a taxi, was ludirously cheap, the rikisha steadily dis* j .ppeared. About 30 years ago there were as I lany as 27,300 rikisha in the city of ■ )saka; about 22,000 in lhe surrounding * tarts of Osaka. In front of Osaka ’ tation more than 500 rikisha always | ised to be lined, ready to carry passeni iers. The police authorities in Osaka, n August, 1935, found the number of ikisha registered with the police rtations in Osaka only 357 and that outide the city limits 208. Out of these i >nly 30 rikisha were huddled together n a corner of the plaza in front of the itation. In Awaji, sn island in the Bay of )saka, the rikisha was regarded as the •nly means of quick transportation, and

s there were as many as 100 of them in • 1920. Fifteen years later, in October, i 1935, it was found that only seven rikisha were registered, mostly used by f physicians. 1 At Tachikawa station, near Tokio,. February 13, 1935, marked the last day# of the rikisha. There were 11 Yikisha-i men at that time, but they were “bought up” by a motorbus company. ' The rikisha was stationed there for the past 44 years, and, when rikishadom was in its flower, some of them realised j as much as 30 yen per day, and a good many of the rikishamen earned on. the monthly average an income of 150 yen. That was gone never to return, and the ’ remaining 11 rikishamen were “absorb--3 ed” by the steady rise of the current, a Toward the latter days of the rikisha - it showed much improvement in. its • general appearance. The rubber tyre became common, although the. absence ’ of the rattling of iron-hooped wheels t running on gravel streets seemed to put j the rikisha out of tune with old times, k The front cover of the flood, always all s in black, was given a large “window” - of glass by which the passenger could , see where he was going. Up to that f time, when riding one on a rainy day, e he was shut in a dark covering, not • knowing where he was being taken. The c side ventilators were installed on the r hood about the same time, much to the e comfort of the rider. Instead of the rikishamau shouting his warning to f pedestrians, a bell was attached to the e vehicle, which made the whole affair d appear more modern.