Japanese Knot Bag
Knot bag: a small handbag in a Japanese printed cloth with two handles of unequal length, the long one pulled through the short one to close, in eight prints.
Japanese Knot Bag
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The short answer
Small handbag in a printed cloth with two handles of unequal length rising from a soft body, the longer one pulled through the shorter one to close and carry, lined, in eight prints including waves, koi, cats, daruma and gold flowers. One size.
Fabric & care
The composition is stated in the description and printed on the inner label. Machine wash cold, inside out, with similar colours. Hang to dry. Iron on low, inside out over prints or embroidery.
Shipping & returns
Shipping is free on every order, with no minimum. Duties and import taxes are prepaid at checkout. Orders leave in 1 to 3 business days and take 6 to 12 business days on average; a tracking number is emailed on dispatch.
You may return any item within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. Write to contact@yonaku.com and we email you a prepaid label.
What we sell, and what we don't
Japanese designs, made in Asia. Cotton, linen or polyester as stated on each piece, never silk. We name every garment for what it is: a kimono jacket is not a haori, an unlined kimono is not a yukata.
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- Duties prepaidNothing to pay on delivery
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- 30-day returnsFree, prepaid label
- Sizing helpRuns small: take the larger size
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About this piece
Japanese knot bag in a printed cloth, one handle pulled through the other
Two handles, one longer than the other, and a knot. This is the Japanese knot bag: a soft body in a printed cloth with two handles rising from it, one short and one long, and the long one is pulled through the short one to close the bag and carry it. There is no clasp and no zip; the handle is the closure. It comes in eight prints; the photographs show six.
It is the small bag of a summer festival, carried with a yukata, and it is the bag in the shop that people learn to close by watching someone else do it.
The name is the plain English one for the shape, and the Japanese shape is older than the name: it is the bag of the Edo period, sewn from a kimono offcut, and it has not changed.
The body is a printed cloth with a little body, lined in a plain cloth, with the handles cut as part of the body rather than sewn on, so the bag is one piece folded and seamed. The long handle is about twice the length of the short one, which is what lets it pass through and hold.
Carry it by the long handle, over a wrist or in a hand, with the short handle holding it closed, and it hangs as a soft pouch. It takes a phone, a purse, a fan and keys, which is what it is for. With a yukata it is the right bag; with a summer dress it is the interesting one.
The prints are the prints of the range: red with cats and fans, blue with waves, light blue with koi, navy with cats, wine with gold flowers, navy with daruma and coins. The cloth is the same weight on all of them.
The knot is the detail: the long handle passes through the short one and the weight of the bag pulls it tight, so the bag closes itself, and it opens by lifting the long handle out.
From across a street it is a small printed pouch with a handle. From close the print shows its motifs, the handles their difference, and the seam its single line. It is the bag for a yukata and for a person who wants a bag that is a piece of cloth.
Hand wash cool and dry flat; iron on the reverse on low.
One size. The body is the size of a large hand spread, and it holds a phone, a small purse and a fan. It is cut to Japanese sizing, which for a bag means small; it is a festival bag, not a day bag.
Questions about the japanese bags
What is a randoseru?
The boxy, stiff-sided backpack every Japanese child carries through primary school: a long flap, a metal plate closure, padded straps. Adults outside Japan wear it small and high as a design object.
How does a knot bag close?
The two handles are different lengths. Pull the long one through the short one and the weight of the bag holds it shut; lift it out to open. No clasp, no zip.
What are the bags made of?
The randoseru is a moulded synthetic; the knot bag and the clasp purse are printed cloth, the purse on a metal kiss-lock frame; the star backpack is a smooth synthetic. The fabric line on each page says which.
Are they made in Japan?
No. They are a Japanese design, made in Asia. We say so on every page.
How big are they?
The randoseru takes a large notebook; the knot bag takes a phone, a purse and a fan; the clasp purse fits in a palm; the star backpack is 38 by 37 by 14 cm. All are small by Western standards.
How do I clean them?
Wipe the synthetic bags with a damp cloth. Hand wash the knot bag cool and dry flat. Spot clean the clasp purse only; the plush cat and the frame do not go in water.
What we sell, and what we don't
Japanese designs, made in Asia. Cotton, linen or polyester as stated on each piece, never silk. We say so on every page, because the alternative is selling you a word instead of a garment.
On the record
| Piece | Japanese Knot Bag |
|---|---|
| Chapter | 小物Accessories |
| Collection | Japanese Bags |
| Fabric | Printed cloth, lined |
| Made | Japanese design, made in Asia |
| Reference | YONA-0248 |
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