The “Jinrikisha” phaetons, which were invented years ago in Japan to transport people from homes to train stations, still remain popular in the country. Historical phaetons pulled by people started to carry passengers again in Tokyo’s touristic center Asakusa, as the weather improved. It’s noteworthy that the number of women working in phaetons, which are preferred not for transportation purposes but for city tours, has increased.
Meanwhile, the Jinrikisha phaeton job is preferred by men due to his physical difficulties, Misa Okazaki is doing this as a full-time job. “It makes me happy to see the smiles on people’s faces. The people I take on tours generally enjoy it a lot. That’s why I’m doing this job. We drink plenty of liquid to avoid the heat. In addition to sports drinks, we try to protect our health by taking salt capsules,” Okazaki said while telling that it is difficult to transport people in temperatures reaching approximately 30 degrees Celsius.