Japanology Plus - Season 3 - Eps 17: Bicycles
Japan's first bicycles were made by former gunsmiths around the 1870s. Mid-20th century innovations aimed at women gave rise to the "mama-chari," a type of bicycle for mothers with small children. Today, annual production of bicycles in Japan is about 9 million, and many of the world's major bicycle makers source most of their parts from Japan. Our expert guest, former bicycle racer Masayuki Hasebe, is a champion of everything to do with bicycles. And in Plus One, the thrill of mama-chari racing.
About Japanology Plus

Title: Japanology Plus
First Air Date: 2014-04-03
Last Air Date: 2025-03-13
Status: Returning Series
Rating: 6.4/10 (from 5 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 13
Total Episodes: 330
Network: NHK WORLD-JAPAN
Genres: Documentary, Talk
Production Companies: NHK, NHK Educational
Synopsis
Host Peter Barakan delves into various aspects of Japanese culture; exploring practices, history, and modern innovations in such areas as ramen, rice, sushi, geisha, bonsai, and so much more. Local experts discuss their passions at fascinating length, and American Japanophile Matt Alt experiences the food, practices, and cultures in each episode in depth. Viewers will finish each half hour episode with a new understanding of an area of Japanese life through demonstrative videos and explanations, all delivered respectfully and true to the Japanese way of life.
Cast

Peter Barakan
Self - Host