I *heart* School Bags

I gotta admit something to you: I have an obsession with Japanese school bags.

A blue book bag is a signature accessory for Japanese students. They sling it over shoulder as they walk home, or throw it on the ground as they take Purikura shots with friends. I’ve only gone to a Japanese high school for a semester so I never had my own. But just last year, I found one at a Tokyo department store, and now it’s mine!

Maybe it’s because they make me feel young again, but I carry one around and instead of books and pencils I stash away candy and makeup. On the zipper loop, I hook on a dozen Hello Kitty key chains, and in the little side-pocket I stuff my cell phone, cramped with another dozen key chains.

Now I have to admit an even more juvenile obsession: grade school bags. I’ve yet to buy one because they run in the $300-$600 range. It’s an absurd price to pay for a 6-year-old. But strangely enough, you’ll never see a kid without one. I think it’s a peer pressure thing. Either way, they’re super cute.

They’re called ‘randoseru’ – a hard-case backpack made with leather and silver buckles. They’re water-resistant and inside are a few cool pockets to keep notebooks and erasers.

Because they’re so expensive a lot of times they’re made into family heirlooms, being passed like a pair of vintage jeans. Luckily the style of the backpack hasn’t changed throughout the years so you could totally rock grandma’s randoseru like it’s 1899! (Or maybe not. =P )

If you’re a fan of anime, you’ve probably seen a character or two with them. It’s a classic accessory. And hopefully one day it’ll be mine… even if I have to rob a kid to get one! (^.<)V

Himawari

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