palanquin bearer; sedan chair carrier; palanquin business
Historical term for a person who carried a palanquin (駕籠) or the business of providing such transport. Now only encountered in historical contexts or period works.
In the Edo period, palanquin bearers waited for customers along the highways.
I heard that his ancestors ran a palanquin business.
人足 is a general term for a laborer or carrier in historical contexts, while 駕籠屋 specifically carries palanquins.
Standard kanji spelling for this historical occupation and business.
Simplified spelling using かご for the palanquin part; less common but understandable.
Compound of 駕籠 (kago, 'palanquin') and 屋 (ya, 'shop' or 'person engaged in a trade'). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the term is now obsolete outside historical references.