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in #japan8 years ago (edited)

Explore everyday life in Japan

Mama Chari

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Due to the prevalence of English words and phrases in the Japanese language, it is easy to assume that Mama Chari, which is a kind of bicycle, was made by combining and abbreviating the words Mama with a shortened form of the word chariot. I asked a few of my coworkers if this was true, and they confirmed to me that they thought it probably was. As it turns out, though, the term Mama Chari was actually made by combining the word mama with an abbreviated form of the word charinko. Charinko itself is a word that was made by combining the sound of a bicycle bell, which is spoken as charin, charin in Japanese with the Japanese pronunciation of the Korean word for bicycle, jajeongeo, or chajyongo in Japanese.

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Mama Chari is a term that has come to describe a kind of utility bike that many women, especially mothers in Japan, ride. It is one of three kinds of City Bikes that you will see all over the country, and it can be distinguished from a typical City Bike by its descending, and typically curved, cross bar, the bar that connects the neck of the bike to its seat post. These bikes sometimes have as many as two child seats attached to them—one that rests above the rear bicycle wheel and one that is attached to the bike’s handlebars—and are sometimes partially motorized. Though it is now illegal to ride a bike in Japan that does not have two hand brakes attached to it, it is perfectly acceptable to ride a bicycle with two children on it.

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In fact, seeing a woman riding with children on her bike through all kinds of weather in Japan is a very common site. Many families here still have only one car, and many families living in urban areas do not own a car. As a result, for many families in Japan, bicycles are a necessity. As such, a variety of child seats have been designed specifically for bikes, and many different accessories have been made for these child seats, too, so that children can be transported by bike in any kind of weather. There are box-like, plastic cases that attach to these child seats and surround children to help keep them dry on rainy days. There are blankets that zip up like sleeping bags and can be snapped on to the edges of these child seats in winter. There are lights, toys, and many other things that can be used to accessorize these seats for safety purposes and also to keep children entertained. Mama Chari and the child seats and accessories that attach to them are a quite an industry in Japan.

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Image Credits: The first, second, and fourth images in this post are original. The third image was found here


This is an ongoing series that will explore various aspects of daily life in Japan. My hope is that this series will not only reveal to its followers, image by image, what Japan looks like, but that it will also inform its followers about unique Japanese items and various cultural and societal practices. If you are interested in getting regular updates about life in Japan, please consider following me at @boxcarblue. If you have any questions about life in Japan, please don’t hesitate to ask. I will do my best to answer all of your questions.


If you missed my last post, you can find it here Pocky Day.

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Great post! My love of Japan and bicycles has been satiated for a while! A part of Japanese culture I am fascinated by are the less visited, little back-alleys and laneways behind houses and between buildings. I always tried to walk the less well-trodden parts of Japan whenever I visited! So interesting to see what great pictures I could find in such places. I look forward to your next piece!

I'm glad to hear it. There are definitely endless amounts of nooks and crannies to explore in Japanese cities. My first six months here, I went down every road, backstreet, and alley that I came upon. Then I started to meet people and fall into a routine. Since then, in many ways, I feel like I have spent seven years rediscovering all the places I went during those first six months.

Thanks for reading my post and following me!

Great post, I miss the freedom of riding my bicycle (and my 50cc) everywhere like I did when I lived in Japan ( natsukashii)!

It is nice being able to get around anywhere by bike, isn't it. Did you have a gentsuki scooter? Those things have the rule of the road. That must have been nice.

It was a Yamaha 50cc little yellow and navy machine (not sure if it was a gentsuki), was awesome until I was run off the road and ended up with a broken collar bone!

Gentuski is just another word for moped.

I'm glad to hear you walked away with only a broken collar bone. I know a few people over here who have had similar experiences. People are pretty good at watching out for cyclists over here, but I think motorcycles and mopeds don't quite get the same treatment. I don't ride them, though, so I can't say for sure.

Totally viable for any metropolis, I want one!! :D XXOOX Cheers and thanks for sharing @boxcarblue! :-)

They are really convenient, and kids like them too. I've never ridden one with a front child seat attached, but I imagine it would make the balance a little awkward. Even the child seats on the back of the bike, depending on your child's size, weight, and especially on whether or not they are moving around, can make your bike pretty wobbly.

They are even good for rocking your kids to sleep while you get a little exercise.

been to Tokyo this year - loved it

I'm glad to hear it. Tokyo is a fun place!

I still need to post that bicycle picture I took in Japan that I mentioned to you a few week ago. : )

I'm curious to see it.

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