No basket case, bamboo electric tricar goes at a zippy 50 kph
By NAOMI NISHIMURA/ Staff Writer
October 3, 2016 at 16:00 JST
An electric bamboo tricar covered with tiger-patterned bamboo in an idyllic rural area of Susaki, Kochi Prefecture.
SUSAKI, Kochi Prefecture--Letting out a gentle purr rather than a roar, an electric tricar made from the distinctive tiger-patterned bamboo grown here is a first for a versatile material used to make products from baskets to ear picks.
The vehicle, which runs at a speed of 50 kph in its idyllic rural setting, was made to promote "torafudake," the area's signature bamboo.
Around 50 four-meter length pieces of bamboo were used for the car's unique look.
The decoration of its seats, steering wheel and exterior were achieved using traditional weaving techniques.
The man behind the unique vehicle is Yoshihiro Yamagishi, owner of the local bamboo shop Taketora, who raised the necessary funds online. The tricar is now set to be used to take visitors on guided tours of a local bamboo forest.
Torafudake's tiger-like patterns are said to be the result of fungus growing on the bamboo's stems. The variety grows naturally only in limited areas.
For more information, visit Taketora's official website: https://www.taketora.co.jp/special/english.html
（新聞「The Asahi Shinbun | Asia & Japan Watch」より転載）
