Cart - Niguruma

A vehicle for transporting goods. There are various forms, but they can be divided into one-wheeled and two-wheeled vehicles. There are two differences between them: one is literally the difference in structure, depending on the number of wheels, and the other is the difference in how they are used; in principle, one-wheeled vehicles are pushed, while two-wheeled vehicles are pulled. One-wheeled vehicles are pushed by humans and used for transporting relatively short distances, but two-wheeled vehicles are sometimes pulled by oxen and horses, and were also used for transporting long distances. In terms of areas where they are used, two-wheeled vehicles are limited to wide roads on flat areas, but one-wheeled vehicles can be used on narrow mountain paths and farm roads. Also, one-wheeled vehicles cannot be ridden by humans, but two-wheeled vehicles can, and oxcarts (gissha) specifically for riding were even made in the Heian period. Both have quite ancient origins, dating back to the late ancient period to the early medieval period. A typical example of a unicycle is what is commonly known as a nekoguruma (cat cart), while well-known examples of two-wheeled vehicles include the Daihachiguruma (large eight-wheeled cart) developed in early modern times and the modern handcart.

[Kanji Kurumizawa]

"Transportation History" edited by Takeshi Toyoda and Kota Kodama (Systematic Japanese History Series 24, 1970, Yamakawa Publishing) " "Japanese Folk Tools" by Isamu Isogai (1971, Iwasaki Bijutsusha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

荷物を運ぶ車両のこと。形態はさまざまだが、一輪車と二輪車に分けることができる。その相違点は二つあり、一つは文字どおり車輪の数の多少による構造の違いであり、いま一つは使用法の違い、すなわち原則として一輪車は押してゆくものであるのに対し、二輪車は引いてゆくものなのである。一輪車は人間が押して比較的短距離の運搬に使われるが、二輪車は牛馬に引かせることもあり、長距離の運搬にも使用された。使用地域は、二輪車は平坦(へいたん)部の広い道に限られるが、一輪車は狭い山道や農道でも使うことができる。また、一輪車には人間が乗ることは不可能だが、二輪車はそれも可能で、平安時代には乗用専用の牛車(ぎっしゃ)も作製されている。起源はともに相当古く、古代後期から中世初期ごろまでさかのぼるといわれる。一輪車は猫車(ねこぐるま)と通称されるものが代表的な例であり、二輪車は近世に開発された大八車や、近代のリヤカーがよく知られたものである。

［胡桃沢勘司］

『豊田武・児玉幸多編『交通史』（『体系日本史叢書　24』1970・山川出版社）』▽『礒貝勇著『日本の民具』（1971・岩崎美術社）』

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