The Origin of the Rickshaw

Human powered machine.

Most people know what a rickshaw is, but few people know the derivation of the word. The word “rickshaw” originates from the Japanese word “jinrikishaw”, represented by three kanji characters (jin = human, riki = strength, and sha = vehicle), which together literally means “human-powered vehicle”. “Jinrikishaw” was a mouthful, so it was shortened to “rickshaw”.

Legend has it the rickshaw was first invented in the 1860′s by an American missionary living in Japan, to help transport his infirmed wife. The original design featured a two–wheeled cart, seating one or two passengers, drawn by a human runner–an obvious reference to Roman chariots and rural ox carts. Rickshaws quickly became popular in Japan, and later spread to other cities throughout Asia–where they were ideal for navigating the narrow and rough streets in crowded cities. With the invention of the bicycle, rickshaws were outfitted with a front wheel, pedals and a saddle for the driver, and the “bicycle rickshaw”, or “pedicab”, was born.

Rickshaws in various human-powered and motorized forms are still used today in many Asian cities to transport goods and passengers–and in many cities throughout the world, they serve as novel transportation for tourists.

Here at Rickshaw, the name transcends the literal interpretation, and represents our belief in the power of the human spirit, and the basic integrity of human-powered endeavor.