• Kyle Skippon

JDM Jisho - Tsurikawa

Definition

つり革 (Tsurikawa) - the literal translation is a strap to hang onto. These are used in metro trains as a way for passengers to hold themselves up while the train is moving around.

Kanji Breakdown

つり (tsu-ri) - Derived from the verb 吊るす (tsuru-su) to hang

革 (kawa) - leather

Origin

Tsurikawa are common place in Japan. They are used as subway handles that people can hold onto during their train ride. If you only recognize them from JDM car culture you may also know that there are many synonyms both in Japan and throughout the world. In Japan they can be called Tsurikawa (つり革) in which we learned kawa (革) means leather, referring to the leather strap that is held onto on the subways. It can also be referred to as Tsuriwa (吊り輪) in which wa (輪) means ring. This is the most common type of handle that we see in JDM, stance, and drift cars. Finally there is the most modern name of Tsurite (吊り手) in which te (手) means hand, indicating that you’re hanging onto something by your hand. If you aren’t a subway commuter in Japan you may know these by the name of: drift ring, drift handle, drift charm, subway ring, or “that hanging thing.”

Regardless of what it’s called nowadays, the concept of tsurikawa making its way into car culture traces its roots back to the bosozoku days, like most things in the JDM scene. Bosozoku gangsters would steal these subway handles and put them in their car for two reasons. First, they could be used as a handle that allowed people inside the car to hang out the windows. They would do this for stunt driving as well as hanging outside the car and waving around baseball bats to ward off rival gangs. Secondly, they became symbolic of rebellion and anti-authority mindsets.



People started to hang them from the backs of their cars on their tow hooks to show off their disrespect for the government. As the popularity of hanging tsurikawa grew and cars became lower and lower, the tsurikawa would start to rub away on the bottom from dragging on the ground. This was proof that you were a rebel with a properly slammed car.

You can pick one up from our store here and find out if your car is low enough.