When you see a Japanese elementary school student — whether it’s in person, in a photo, or in a video — they’re more than likely sporting a boxy, leather randoseru backpack. These ultra-durable bags, ...

For more than a half-century, Tsuchiya Bag has been handcrafting sturdy, comfortable, and timelessly appealing elementary-school backpacks designed to satisfy the pickiest parents and stand up to six ...

The latest trend to adorn the backs of celebrities wasn’t born on the runway, but rather in the halls of Japanese elementary schools. That’s right: the ubiquitous randoseru is now a coveted fashion ...

TOKYO -- Getting a "randoseru" school backpack just before entering grade one is a major childhood milestone in Japan, and choosing just the right one to last the entire six-year span of elementary ...

Nearly every elementary school student in Japan carries a book bag known as a randoseru, a staple of Japanese childhood for close to 150 years. No one mandates that students use these backpacks, but ...

As Japanese junior school children start the new academic year, they will all be carrying a piece of equipment that has its roots in Europe but is now a rite of passage. Julian Ryall reports from ...

Elementary school backpacks in various colors are seen at the "Isetan Randoseru Festival 2026," held at the Isetan department store in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward between May 2 and 7, in this photo taken on ...