Seeing Asakusa by Rickshaw
Rickshaws are a common sight in Asakusa, an old part of Tokyo that's a popular tourist spot. Faster than walking, more leisurely than cars, they're the most enjoyable way to tour this ancient district's temples, shrines and fascinating back lanes. Another attraction is the rickshaw pullers, providing a lively and informative guide to the sights you pass. We also visit a rickshaw workshop where they are assembled by hand by a highly-skilled artist who also designs new types of rickshaws for weddings and special events, with gorgeous color schemes or LED illuminations.
VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN
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Rickshaws are a common sight in Asakusa, an old part of Tokyo that's a popular tourist spot. Faster than walking, more leisurely than cars, they're the most enjoyable way to tour this ancient district's temples, shrines and fascinating back lanes. Another attraction is the rickshaw pullers, providing a lively and informative guide to the sights you pass. We also visit a rickshaw workshop where they are assembled by hand by a highly-skilled artist who also designs new types of rickshaws for weddings and special events, with gorgeous color schemes or LED illuminations.
VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN
Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe
Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net
Follow us:
Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook
Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram
Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter
DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion
Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital
Check out our Podcasts:
Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify
Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts
Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic
Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer
Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher
Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein
#TheManilaTimes
#DailyNews
#Japan
#Asakusa
#Tokyo
#Rickshaw
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:06 This is Asakusa, a 17th century Tokyo district that's one of the capital's biggest tourist attractions.
00:12 A great way to see its sights is from the seat of a rickshaw.
00:17 Welcome! Just climb up here.
00:21 Watch your step.
00:23 The rickshaw puller lifts up the poles, and you're off.
00:29 [Music]
00:32 See you later!
00:34 [Music]
00:37 Because you're riding so high, you get a great view of everything you pass.
00:42 [Music]
00:53 And the relaxed pace is just right. Faster than walking, slower than a car.
00:57 [Music]
01:04 The rickshaw puller is your guide, explaining each sight along the way.
01:08 That's Tokyo Skytree. It's 634 metres tall.
01:16 He'll sometimes stop to explain things, sometimes providing a running commentary as you move.
01:22 [Music]
01:26 This area used to be covered by shallow sea water.
01:29 [Music]
01:32 Most people pick a ride of between 30 minutes and an hour.
01:35 [Music]
01:39 And you're free to choose your own route, to see the sights you want.
01:43 [Music]
01:58 In a rickshaw, you can explore back streets too narrow for cars to pass.
02:02 [Music]
02:09 Asakusa is famous for its many shrines and temples.
02:12 [Music]
02:20 And a quick prayer at a shrine is a fine way to conclude our rickshaw journey.
02:24 [Music]
02:27 Thank you so much for choosing my rickshaw today.
02:30 [Music]
02:32 The rickshaw was invented in Japan in the second half of the 19th century.
02:37 At its peak, the country had over 210,000 rickshaw operators.
02:41 [Music]
02:43 Made redundant by modern forms of transportation, today rickshaws live on mostly to carry tourists.
02:49 [Music]
02:53 This is a workshop specialising in making rickshaws.
02:56 [Music]
02:59 Matsuoka Fumitake became fascinated by rickshaws and worried that the knowledge of how to construct them would die out.
03:05 [Music]
03:08 I think the rickshaw is such a beautiful vehicle, perfect in its design and function.
03:12 [Music]
03:14 Each rickshaw is assembled painstakingly by hand.
03:17 [Music]
03:21 There are about 100 parts.
03:23 Everything must be precisely aligned.
03:25 A part out by just one millimetre makes it harder to pull and not so smooth to ride.
03:30 [Music]
03:31 Matsuoka is an innovator too, producing rickshaws illuminated with LEDs.
03:36 [Music]
03:38 And special versions for weddings.
03:40 [Music]
03:45 All kinds of characters choose to become rickshaw pullers and half the fun is chatting with them as you ride.
03:51 [Music]
03:52 There are many who speak English.
03:54 [Music]
03:55 And more women are taking it up too.
03:57 [Music]
03:58 In this job I meet so many different kinds of people I'd never have the chance to talk to otherwise.
04:03 Rickshaws have really expanded my view of the world.
04:06 [Music]
04:08 Riding in comfort, enjoying the pleasant breeze, pulled along by a human guide.
04:14 There's no better way to enjoy the sights.
04:17 [Music]
04:20 [Silence]
04:27 [Mouse click]
04:28 [Bell ring]
04:29 [BLANK_AUDIO]