Randoseru
The randoseru: a boxy, stiff-sided Japanese school backpack with a long flap, a metal plate, padded straps and a reflective back, in black, blue, red or pink.
Randoseru
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The short answer
Boxy Japanese school backpack in a smooth moulded synthetic with stiff sides, a long front flap closing on a metal plate, padded shoulder straps with reflective strips, a padded back and a side hook, in black, blue, red or pink. One size, for a child or a small adult.
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.
- Free shippingEvery order, no minimum
- Duties prepaidNothing to pay on delivery
- TrackedNumber emailed on dispatch
- 30-day returnsFree, prepaid label
- Sizing helpRuns small: take the larger size
- A person repliesText or email, no bots
About this piece
Japanese school backpack with a boxy body, a long flap and padded straps
The bag every Japanese child carries for six years. This is a randoseru: a boxy backpack with stiff sides and a flat base, a long flap that comes down over the front and closes on a metal plate at the bottom, padded shoulder straps that curve to the body, a padded mesh back with reflective strips on the straps, and a small hook at the side for a bag of gym clothes. It comes in black, blue, red or pink.
It is the most recognisable object in Japanese childhood, and outside Japan it has become a bag for adults who want a backpack with a shape.
The name is the Japanese one, and it comes from the Dutch word for a knapsack, brought to Japan a century and a half ago and kept.
The body is a moulded synthetic, smooth and matte, stiff enough to stand on its own and light enough for a six-year-old, with the flap in the same material and the plate at the bottom in metal. Inside there is a main compartment the size of a large notebook, a front pocket under the flap, and a divider. The straps are padded and adjust with a buckle, and the back is a padded mesh.
Wear it as it is meant to be worn, on both shoulders with the straps pulled short so the bag sits high, which is how a child wears it and how it looks right on an adult. It carries a laptop, a lunch and a book, and it does not sag, because the sides do not let it.
The flap is the detail: it is long, it covers the whole front, and it closes on a plate that turns rather than clips, so the bag opens with a quarter-turn and closes with a push. The side hook is for a second bag, or keys.
From across a street it is a box on a back. From close the flap shows its length, the plate its turn, and the straps their curve. It is the bag for a person who wanted one as a child and did not live in Japan.
Wipe it with a damp cloth; the moulded body does not stain and does not mind rain. Store it standing, with the flap closed.
One size. The body is the size of a large notebook and a little deeper, and the straps adjust from a child's back to an adult's. It is a child's bag first and it is cut for one; an adult wears it small and high, which is the point.
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 | Randoseru |
|---|---|
| Chapter | 小物Accessories |
| Collection | Japanese Bags |
| Fabric | Moulded synthetic (EVA), padded straps |
| Made | Japanese design, made in Asia |
| Reference | YONA-0253 |
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