Japan’s Old Art of Soba Noodle Delivery on Bicycles

The delivery of food called demae was originally a service for wealthy daimyō (feudal lords) in the 1700s. The wealthy daimyo would send servants to let shopkeepers know that they wanted food delivered to their homes. As time went by, demae became more mainstream and affordable for the middle class.Being a noodle delivery man required a special technique of stacking towers of food on their shoulders as they biked through busy streets.