The Tokyo Traveler

The term rickshaw is a western word  derived from the Japanese word jinrikisha which can be literally translated as “human-drawn carriage” in English.  The much romanticized jinrikisha is a simple cart with large, spoked wheels on either side and an axle that rests upon the ground until a runner picks it up to navigate the occupants to their chosen destination.  The jinrikisha is was invented in Japan around 1868 and was one of the main modes of transportation around the city with over 40,000 in operation by 1872.
Today, you can tour the Asakusa and Nihonbashi areas of Tokyo on …read more

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On the streets of Tokyo it’s not uncommon to see people of all ages fanning themselves during the hot summer months. Men, women and children have used fans for centuries as a way to stave of the heat and humidity and one company has been crafting these highly functional, and beautiful, Japanese accessories for over 400 years.
Ibasen started business in 1590 and still operates today in the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo. At first Ibasen mostly dealt in washi (Japanese paper) and bamboo goods but in the late Edo period the company started making and selling uchiwa(fan), sensu (folding …read more

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