Beka car - Beka car

Japanese: べか車 - べかぐるま

A human-powered cart used in Osaka city in the early modern period. Later it was also called an itasha. It was a two-wheeled vehicle and was called this in contrast to the daihachisha of Edo. It had a load capacity of 30 kan (112 kg) and required two people to drive it. In the mid-early modern period, their numbers increased, but they interfered with pedestrian traffic as they passed over bridges, causing significant damage to bridges, so they were regulated, and in 1824 (Bunsei 7) the limit was set at 1,678 ryo. They also came to compete for cargo with the river boats (uwanibune) and tea boats that monopolized the city. In the later period, they expanded even further, and problems arose, such as restrictions on baggage and loading, requests for increased cart power, and restrictions on the length of the frames.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

近世大坂市中で用いられた人力荷車。のちに板車ともいわれた。二輪車で江戸の大八車に対していわれた。積載量30貫(112kg)，車力2人がかり。近世中期になって増加し，橋を通過するので人の往来を妨げ，橋の損害が大になったとして規制され，1824年(文政7)定数を1678両とした。また市中の独占川舟の上荷（うわに）舟，茶舟と貨物を争奪するに至った。後期にはさらに進出し，荷物制限，積載制限，車力の増加要望，台枠の長さ制限などの問題が起こった。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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