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Invented in Japan in 1869, the name jinrickshaw is an aberration of jinrikisha, the Japanese name for the vehicle which literally translated means "man-powered carriage". Some claim the rickshaw was invented not by a Japanese but by Jonathan Gable, an American missionary who had designed it for the comfort of his wife. Others believe the rickshaw evolved out of the two-man sedan chair popularly used in China. Used initially as private vehicles patronised by noble families. If anyone has additional information on this rarely seen mode of transportation, please write to us.

Rickshaws were hand-drawn taxi-cabs of early Singapore. They originated from Japan and came to Singapore in 1880, becoming a major form of public transport and a primary source of income for the thousands of Chinese immigrants to Singapore between the 1880s to the 1930s

Its name was shortened to rickshaw at the turn of the century as the vehicle's popularity spread through to the Asian region. Introduced by the Chinese, the rickshaw had made its appearance in India by 1900, and reached as far as South Africa, establishing itself particularly in Durban where they were pulled by Zulus. Today, hand-drawn rickshaws serving as public transportation can only be found in Calcutta. Other cities may have them but only as tourist attractions, its use superseded by trishaws and motorised 3-wheelers. The land transport of Singapore: From early times to the present (pp. 7-18, 62-64). (1984). Singapore: Educational Publications Bureau. (Call no.: RSING 779.9388095957 LAN)

Price: $1,895.00