The plan was simple. When traveling to Tokyo I would stroll into the Tsuchiya Kaban store to be fitted with what would be “my first randoseru.” But then the pandemic shut down travel . . .
I was not some little kid who would get a randoseru and carry her books in it through grade school—I was an old lady who had admired the style of the randoseru from the time my family lived on Okinawa back in the 1960s. Dad was in the Army and we were stationed there. School children walked along in uniforms with randoseru on their backs. I was intrigued.
So, to finally fulfill my dream I turned to the Tsuchiya Kaban website to place an order from the U.S. My husband measured my back to make sure I could wear one (if I lengthened the straps down to the very last hole) and I went for it! I justified the price as being no more expensive than a designer handbag. (And the shipping was FREE.)
Within a week a large box arrived by Japan Post. My first randoseru was luxuriously packaged in tissue inside a gift box inside an outer shipping box. It was everything I hoped for. And most importantly, it fit my adult back if I fastened it in the last hole.
The craftsmanship and quality of the leather is exquisite. It’s built to last. The first place I wore it was to a Hello Kitty event where many young people were dressed for “cosplay.” Several girls who could have been my granddaughter knew what I had and complimented me on it. I told them about the website, adding that “shipping is FREE.”
So the pandemic came to an end and Japan reopened to tourism. Finally “go-time!” The planned 2020 trip became our 2023 trip. We booked our ANA flights and hotel.
I decided I would carry my randoseru and use it as a purse/tote bag. It would fit under the airplane seat. But just before we departed for the airport, I had second thoughts and almost left it behind. Feeling my age, I was afraid people would laugh when they saw a 72-year-old gaijin wearing a randoseru on the streets of Tokyo.
But husband Don said “You’d better use that thing. We spent a lot of money on it!”
So I loaded it with essentials—my book, a back-up book, medications and snacks. At last we were off!
Backpacks are standard in Japan and people are courteous when carrying them, switching from back to front-carry so they don’t bump someone. While seated on the Yamanote Rail Line I switched the bag to my front and sat with my arms wrapped around it. People would smile and nod and several ladies told me about their randoseru, recalling that it was red.
People weren’t shy about asking me how old I was and I answered, “nana-ju-ni-sai (72 years old).”
When we were at Mt. Fuji a Filipino family stopped me to ask where I got my bag. I told them to look up Tsuchiya Kaban and go to the nearest store in Tokyo. I’m sure that lady went home to the Philippines with her very own randoseru.
As I wandered around Tokyo I was bringing smiles to ladies’ faces when they saw me wearing my randoseru. Many told me how they had worn a randoseru—a RED one. Girls wore red. Boys wore black.
One old lady in Tokyo Station couldn’t stop giggling as she tried to hide her laughter behind her hand when she recalled wearing her randoseru. I laughed along with her. I told her I always wanted one–and I didn’t care how old I was!
By then I was claiming to be nana-ju-ichi-sai (71 years old).
So I carried my randoseru as we wandered the streets and one day found myself surrounded by students wearing theirs! Many adults smiled and nodded and some even told me what color randoseru they had.
We stopped at the Tsuchiya Kaban store in Shibuya to check out the inventory. There I wanted to buy something more, so I selected a little coin purse and carried it home inside my randoseru.
And when we landed at LAX the ANA flight attendant saw my randoseru on the floor and picked it up to help me put it on my back. Of course, it brought back memories and she reflected on her school days. She told me that her daughter attends a private school where she wears a uniform and carries a randoseru.
And when she asked—I told her I was nana-ju- sai (70). That was the last comment about my age.
Back in the States, I once again became an old lady carrying an unusual leather bag on her back.
I still carry my randoseru and if anyone asks where I got it, I’ll refer them to the Tsuchiya Kaban website and add that the shipping is FREE!
So now . . . I’m roko-ju-kyu-sai (69).