Bicycle History

The Bicycle Comes to Japan

It is said that the bicycle came to Japan in the closing days of the
Tokugawa shogunate (1860's).

Domestic Boneshaker	1877
	Made smaller to fit the size of the Japanese body.
	Domestically produced boneshaker dating back to around 1877. The iron frame, which was most likely produced by blacksmiths, was built on a smaller scale to fit the Japanese physique. The wheel diameter was also smaller, and when compared to the 36-inch front wheel and 32-inch rear wheel of the typical Michaux velocipede being produced in various countries, this boneshaker was a much smaller version.
Domestic Ordinary Bicycle	1890
	Achieved popularity by replacing two-wheeled models with three-wheelers.
	This ordinary had an artistic design that made the most of the uniqueness of Japanese manufacturing. This domestic ordinary is thought to have built in Japan around 1888. Its stays for protecting against mud had a design that brings to mind an arabesque pattern, and the bicycle's wheels were finished with black lacquer, giving it a luxurious look. It is said that many of these ordinaries were manufactured in the Kansai region during the Meiji period, and due to their beautiful and careful crafting, it is thought that the Imperial Court carriage craftsmen of the period were responsible for building them.
Domestic Safety Bicycle	1892
	The first safety bicycle trial manufactured in Japan.
	This is the safety bicycle produce at the Miyata Gun Factory in 1892 by Eisuke Miyata, a gun expert employed by the Hitachi Kuni Kasama Clan. Eisuke, who held doubts concerning the future of gun manufacturing in Japan, trial manufactured Japan's first safety bicycle in 1892. He got involved in building an experimental model after being asked by a foreigner to repair a safety bicycle. The tubing used for the frame was manufactured in the same way as the piping used for guns: it was bored out lengthwise using a round steel rod. Except for the tires, the entire bicycle was built from scratch at the Miyata Gun Factory.
Fuji Hao	1928
	Domestic bicycle that was a copy of an English model.
	This was a luxury bicycle manufactured around 1928 by Nichibei Shoten. By 1905, Hisajirou Okazaki, the founder of Nichibei Shoten, had already handled a very large number of the English-manufactured Radge, thanks partly to the friendly relations between the two countries fostered by their alliance. After World War I, the Radge trademark reverted back to England, and thereafter, Japanese manufactures started building a similar model under the name Fuji Hao. The change in popularity from American to English cycles was not only due to the alliance between Japan and England, it was also influenced by the fact that the 26-inch frames of the English models fit the smaller physique of the Japanese better than the 28-inch models that were commonly found in America.

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