Randoseru: Guide to Japanese Schoolbags for Kids
Last Updated on February 14, 2025 by Kay
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My daughter starts elementary school in Japan next year, so one of the first things on our list of things to prepare is buying her a randoseru.
A randoseru is a Japanese schoolbag that’s meant to last all six years of elementary school. That’s right, there’s no buying a new schoolbag or backpack every year. This bag is meant to last, and it can even be resold afterward. This is why randoseru are very expensive. I dare say it might be the most expensive schoolbag for kids in the world! There are even magazines dedicated just to randoseru!
Since randoseru are so expensive and important, I thought I would write a guide to help other parents out about how to shop for one and what to look for.
Table of Contents
History of Randoseru
Randoseru have been used by children in Japan since 1887 and the base design hasn’t changed since then. However, now there are a breath of colors for kids to choose from whereas up until quite recently, girls could only use red randoseru and boys had to use black.
Below is an image of a typical randoseru for girls from 1960. Back then, they could only fit B5 papers but now they can fit A4.
Randoseru in the past typically didn’t have designs on them but as you can see below, there were some in 1950 with beautiful decorations.
During the second world war, randoseru were made of metal.
Fun fact — the word randoseru comes from the Dutch word for backpack, ransel.
When to Buy Randoseru
You typically need to start shopping for randoseru about a year before your child starts elementary school at the latest. This is because quality randoseru are normally made to order.
The best window to buy randoseru is from January to June. This is when you can find the best deals, such as freebies with your purchase, and get discounts sometimes. This is also the time department stores have days where you can reserve a time slot to have a staff member help you find the perfect randoseru for your child.
If you purchase your randoseru from a second-hand shop, you don’t need to worry as much about when you buy it. However, you might want to have your child try out randoseru from the same brand so they have an idea about what it feels like. I’ll cover what to look for further in the article.
Note that grandparents in Japan typically help with buying the randoseru and pay the full cost. This depends on the family, of course, and my husbands said it’s a relatively new tradition since that wasn’t the case when he was a child.
How Much Do Randoseru Cost?
The cost of a brand new randoseru ranges from as low as 10,000 yen to as high as over 100,000 yen!
As you can see on the tag below, this new model of randoseru by the brand Seiban costs 67,100 yen. However, it’s on sale for 10% off until August 31st. The tag also shows the name of the bag, color, size, materials, and weight.
On average, randoseru cost about 60,000 yen.
Unsurprisingly, older models are far more affordable than newer models. For instance, this 2023 randoseru by the brand Fuwarii is less than 35,000 yen!
Where to Buy Randoseru and Brands
The best places to purchase randoseru are department stores or shops by different randoseru brands. You can also find randoseru online but again, I highly recommend seeing the physical product first and having your child try it before purchasing it online. My daughter tried various randoseru before she found one that was not only cute but also comfortable for her.
I recommend going to the store, trying different bags, and then seeing if you can find your child’s favorite bag for a lower price online.
Below are popular randoseru brands in Japan. Note that this is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, there are very expensive designer randoseru that rich moms try to snag for their kids as a status symbol.
Seiban (セイバン)
Seiban, also known as Tenshi no Hane, is a popular randoseru company from Osaka. All of their products are handmade in Japan — in fact, you can see workers making the bags at some of their branches (we went to the one near Himeji).
I love that they not only have cute and cool designs but the bags are functional and comfortable for kids.
They have different models meant for various purchases. For instance, they have randoseru that light up in the dark:
Ones for walking long distances (30-40 minutes), called Model Royal:
And randoseru with only one cushion to make it light (スゴ軽):
![[セイバン] 天使のはね スゴ軽 フェアリースプリング ランドセル 女の子 2025年度モデル パールパープル×ピンクダイヤモンド](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31TQTPGFyOL._SL500_.jpg)
You can purchase their bags in-store as well as online, including Amazon Japan.
Website: www.seiban.co.jp
Fit Chan (フィットちゃん)
Fit Chan has lots of cute designs and affordable designs, with some new models going for as low as 46000 yen!
These can be found in-store, online, and on Amazon Japan.
Website: www.fit-chan.com
Conosaki
I love their simple yet stylish bags. They also have quite unique embroidered designs with buckles in the front rather than at the bottom of the bag.
Website: https://conosaki.net/
Kazama Randoseru
Kids can custom design their own randoseru and they even have Sanrio ones!
Website: www.kazamarandoseru.com/
IKEDAYA (池田屋)
IKEDAYA carries affordable and simple randoseru that are lightweight.
Website: https://www.pikachan.com/
Kabankobo Yamamoto (鞄工房山本)
Originally from Nara, this company specializes in leather randoseru. They have simple yet stylish designs.
Website: https://www.kabankobo.com/
rarachan
Rarachan has not only order-made randoseru but also fun designs, including Sanrio characters. The randoseru straps are replaceable as well.
Website: https://raraya.co.jp/
Fuwarii (ふわりぃ)
![[フワリィ] 協和 ランドセル プラチナセレクト 女の子 最新 2025年度モデル 日本製 6年間修理保証 A4フラットファイル](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/317hiKfm5VL._SL500_.jpg)
These randoseru are super light, as light as 880 grams! They use a product called CLARINO for their bags, which is man-made leather that’s durable yet light, making them a great vegan brand.
You can find Fuwarii randoseru for sale on Amazon Japan.
Website: https://fuwarii.com/
Coulomb
They carry some of the most affordable yet cute randoseru out there.
![[Coulomb] クーロン ランドセル女の子小学生通学カバン 高級人工皮革パール生地 ワンタッチロック ハート＆蝶結び刺繍 透明ランドセルカバー シューズ袋など特典進呈 (112LV)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/516ne-yTDoL._SL500_.jpg)
You can purchase their randoseru from Amazon Japan and the reviews are quite high, so it seems like their bags are a good value.
What to Look for in Randoseru
When purchasing a randoseru for your child, it’s always best to go to a randoseru store where a staff member will be able to tell you what to look for and point out the differences between models. I’ve found that there’s a huge difference in knowledge between regular staff at a department store and those specialized in randoseru.
Also, make sure you buy a randoseru that can fit A4 documents. There are ones for sale that fit only B5 but this is too small! (I’m not sure why that smaller size is for sale to be quite honest…)
In general, here’s what to keep in mind when shopping for randoseru:
Weight
Randoseru can be heavy, around 1200 grams on average, but keep in mind that your child will grow and it will become easier for them to wear it.
When shopping for a randoseru, make sure you go somewhere that you can put something inside that will simulate the weight of textbooks. This way, your child can see what it’s like to walk with the total weight.
The Seiban store we went to had bags containing the typical weight of school books etc by grade, which I thought was very clever.
I wanted a very light randoseru for my daughter because she almost toppled over when we put the weight inside the schoolbag. However, light randoseru might not be as durable as heavier ones and have less cushioning, meaning they’ll be less comfortable.
And indeed, when my daughter tried a lighter randoseru, she preferred the heavier one with more cushioning.
Cushioning
The longer it takes for your child to walk to school, the better cushioning you’ll want, specifically cushions that are against your child’s back.
The image above shows a backpack with good cushioning.
You want to make sure that the cushions are so snug against your child’s back that you can’t fit a hand in between.
Shoulder Straps
The shoulder straps carry and evenly distribute the weight of the backpack so it’s essential that it’s comfortable for your child.
There are flat straps and straps with cushions on them.
Depending on the brand, the straps can be replaceable.
There are also little features on the straps and sides of the bag that help protect children. For instance, snap hooks not only let you attach safety devices, such as a buzzer, onto the bag but also snap off if they get caught on something like a passing car.
Color and Design
In recent years, Japan has moved away from only red randoseru for girls and black for boys. Now kids can choose from a multitude of colors such as purple, blue, green, pink, beige, and so forth, and fun designs including popular characters like Sanrio.
Below are various kinds of modern randoseru for girls:
And here’s what you can find for boys (which I thought were very cool):
This one gives me Evangelion vibes:
You can also buy a simpler randoseru and purchase a cover for it that your child can decorate however they like!
Keep in mind when buying a randoseru with a design that this is something your child is supposed to use for six years. So if they change what they like every few months or so (like my daughter does) it’s probably a better idea to get them something simple.
For instance, my daughter is obsessed with Cinnamoroll right now but I know from experience that this will change (she liked Kuromi up until last summer). So she will not be getting any Sanrio-themed randoseru. She also likes Alice in Wonderland and Seiban had a cute Alice bag. However, she also used to like Disney princesses and now no longer cares for them, so that’s not an option either.
She has always liked cats, ever since she was a baby. This is the one thing she has stuck with, so I have no problem getting her a cat-themed randoseru.
And for those who might be wondering like I was — yes, there are black randoseru for girls and yes, it’s perfectly fine to purchase if your child likes it. Black was typically a color for boys and many boys randoseru still come in that color. However, there are black designs for girls now and from what I read online, girls will not be bullied if they have a randoseru in that color.
Latch / Buckle
There are typically two types of magnetic buckles that open and close randoseru. One is a latch-type and the other is a push-type.
Below is an example of a push-type latch.
Personally, I found the push-type to be easier to open but my husband said this meant it would be easier to accidentally open. The push-type was less common, though, so this wasn’t something we worried about too much when deciding what type of randoseru to get.
There are also latches and hooks on the sides of the bag where kids can attach water bottles, umbrellas, etc., so that it’s easy to grab when they need it.
Inner Pockets and Design
Most randoseru have generally the same design when it comes to how they look inside. There are usually three inner pockets — one that opens and closes using a zip, another one for tablets and other smaller items, and a big one for books.
You can see in the image below that there’s a transparent heart on the smallest inner pocket. This is an area where you can put your child’s name. Since it’s inside the bag, your child’s privacy will be protected.
The inner flap also has a weekly schedule in it as well as cute designs. The Seiban randoseru shown below have Alice in Wonderland designs on the inner flap.
Accessories
There are various accessories you can get for your child’s randoseru, some for free if you purchase one before the summer.
Below are freebies that Seiban is offering until June, which include:
- Pad to absorb back sweat in summer
- Randoseru cover for when it rains
- A general randoseru cover
- A recorder case
Wrap-up: Guide to Randoseru Backpacks in Japan
I hope this look at randoseru has been helpful for you, whether you’re a parent in Japan or someone who’s simply curious about these expensive Japanese schoolbags for kids.
As you can see, good quality randoseru that are handmade in Japan are pricey but for good reason. I think it’s reasonable to invest a lot of money for a children’s bag if it’ll be used for six years, or even longer if resold or reused by a sibling. And due to the cost, it’s important to spend time finding a great bag for your child and know what to look for.
Start looking early, carefully look at every part and feature of the bag, and most of all, make sure your child feels comfortable in the bag and likes it.