Part of what makes a good warrior is being able to think on your feet and repurpose materials to suit your own needs. That ethos is certainly evident in a new limited-edition backpack produced by Murase Kabanko, a Japanese bag manufacturer that’s been in business since 1957.
The new bag is so unique it recently won the artistic design award at the Japan Leather Award 2024, where it received glowing praise from judges for both its looks and its clever use of scraps left over from the leather-making process. The judges also felt it would help children become “more courageous”, as randoseru (sturdy backpacks with rounded lids like these) are commonly used by elementary school children in Japan.
Randoseru are known for being so tough one is enough to last children the entire duration of elementary school, from kindergarten through to year six. You won’t find a tougher looking randoseru than this one, though, and you don’t have to be a child to use it, as randoseru are so beloved a lot of adults have been adding them to their wardrobes as well.
▼ With every bag crafted by hand, this is not your everyday schoolbag.
Leather scraps that would otherwise go to waste are given a new life in this samurai design, with brass studs helping to affix them securely in place.
The bag is the brainchild of Kenki Okada, a randoseru craftsman who has long been producing products for the company and recently received Level 1 certification in this year’s Technical Certification Examination for Handbags and Accessories (Leather Division).
Murase Kabanko is also selling another bag that’s been attracting a lot of attention recently: the Ukiyoe Fugaku.
Fugaku is another word for Mount Fuji, and this bag is modeled on one of the famous ukiyoe block prints from the renowned series “Fugaku Sanjuurokkei” (“Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji“) by Japanese artist Hokusai (1760–1849).
Both randoseru are just two of many impressive designs produced by the company, and they’re a remarkable display of just what can be achieved in the world of randoseru backpacks. Like any well-made product, though, these come with a hefty price, as they retail for 500,000 yen (US$3,284.83) each.
Still, if you have the money to spare, these are rare bags that’ll turn heads everywhere you go, whether you’re using them for school or work. They can be purchased at the Murase Kabanko website, with approximately six months required for delivery, as each one is made to order. And if you’re shopping for your pup, there’s a randoseru backpack for them too.
Source: Murase Kabanko
Insert images: Murase Kabanko
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12 Comments
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falseflagsteve
500,000 Yen! Can you believe it? Well pleased my dear son is passed the age for needing or waiting these types of things. They look decent granted and I bet many kids would love them but only a few parents or grandparents to raise that sort of dough on something like this.
DenTok2009
I can't imagine a child using such a beautiful backpack just for books or a parent spending 500,000 yen on it. But if kids were carrying the samurai or Fugaku (a new word for me; I didn't know it was another name for Mt. Fuji), those backpacks would likely be kept well beyond elementary school. I could even see people buying them as fashion accessories. If I had the money for it, I’d buy both!
wallace
Randoserus are too heavy for little children and too expensive. Usually bought by the grandparents.
NCIS Reruns
Hope the kids carrying them don't get mugged.
Hello Kitty 321
Randoseru. (dutch ‘ransel’) were introduced into the country as part of the military uniform during the Westernization of Japan so it seems a bit ironic that it should now be made to resemble what it replaced.
Sven Asai
It's much more important what's in the schoolbags and that all those things are used and a little bit is learned from them.
iron man
books plus bags like that = school buses for transport instead of breaking into travel independence, wow what growing pains!
Five Families
https://www.sprayground.com/products/the-met-hokusai-great-wave-backpack?variant=46260207911099
The one I have. Now its real leather but still $80.00 Bucks. And it has been a great pack to have. Good zippers.
virusrex
No chance these randoseru will be used by children, maybe not even by adults, they are more likely to end up as decoration or part of a collection.
Speed
I was reading through and enjoying these really cool looking backpacks until I saw the price! Then it wasn't so cool anymore.
BackpackingNepal
This may make the kids bully each other and may drown in the river.
Reading book is more important.
virusrex
The comment makes absolutely no sense, how is using this randoseru instead of other make children drown in some river?
And any child that is able to get a half a million yen randoseru is not going to be worried about bullies.
Fortunately the kind of backpack a person uses have no real effect in the ability of reading books.