Why do Japanese schoolbags costs so much?

We were in Takashimaya the other day and passed the elementary schoolbag section and we were shocked at the price of all the Japanese schoolbags on display! USD$700~USD$1100 for a schoolbag for a young elementary school age child that would probably outgrow it by the age of 7yrs.

Why do they cost so much? How could the average Japanese family afford one?

Because you looked at Takashimaya, a high end department store! Don't worry, there are cheaper stores and cheaper schoolbags, as well.

Here is just one example of a more reasonably priced schoolbag:
http://www.nitori-net.jp/randoseru/contents.html

Because most Japanese people have never heard of Eddie Bauer?

The philosophy seems to be that since it is suppose to last 6 years and then can be passed on to a younger sibling (which is true) then it's worth paying ridiculous prices.

Even the cheaper ones like the one shown in the link above is rather pricey for a kids school bag.

But the real problem with Randosen is that they apparently are not very comfortable and can cause stress on kids bodies because of the rigid structure (no conforming to the body of the wearer).

A lot of parents these days are passing on the Randosel and going with a standard western-style backpack.

When I was in elementary school long, long ago I got a then $60 Eddie Bauer backpack that lasted me through half of high school, or over 10 years so, yeah, paying those prices for a Randosel has never made sense to me either.

A lot of parents these days are passing on the Randosel and going with a standard western-style backpack.

Randosel are still pretty standard in some Western countries, too, although it seems they have become much more colorful and flashy in recent years. For example, this is how the German Ranzen look like in recent years:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=schulranzen&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_p...

USD$700~USD$1100 for a schoolbag for a young elementary school age child that would probably outgrow it by the age of 7yrs.
Why do they cost so much?

The best ones use top quality materials, are constructed out leather, and are built to last the entire 6 years of schooling. Most kids will keep the same randoseru throughout elementary school if they can. They don't typically cost as much as you saw. 10000-30000 yen is a more common price range especially if you shop at the regular stores rather than the high end department stores.

How could the average Japanese family afford one?

The randoseru is seen as important symbol/ tradition/right of passage in Japan. Kind of how like law students in the US are traditionally given briefcases when they graduate. But regardless, the cost is not that high for a backpack once you spread the cost out over 6 years. That's only like 20-50 USD per year, and very comparable to what we used to spend on backpacks every year.

The philosophy seems to be that since it is suppose to last 6 years and then can be passed on to a younger sibling (which is true) then it's worth paying ridiculous prices.

Even the cheaper ones like the one shown in the link above is rather pricey for a kids school bag.

Of the families I know, most kids got a new randoseru of their own when they start elementary school either as a gift from their parents or grandparents. Hand me downs, when they were available were not nearly as common.

As for the "ridiculous price" the quality and durability are directly related, and as it is with most things, you get what you pay for. 30000 yen would be a lot to pay for a canvas backpack, but that's not really comparing apples to apples.

A lot of parents these days are passing on the Randosel and going with a standard western-style backpack.

Note that the majority of schools still require their kids to use randoseru. Even when they don't many parents and kids still op for the randoseru for symbolic reasons.

Of course it is a rip off. But as long as the parents/grand parents cling to keep the herd mentality & show off "mie" and their kid won't be subject to be a school outcast or a target of bullying, the randoseru sellers are laughing all the way to the bank.

Of course it is a rip off. But as long as the parents/grand parents cling to keep the herd mentality

I advise you to look at your own mentality of condescension and cultural superiority.

As suggested on the 8:42 post, the majority of randoseru are very affordable (around 100USD or even cheaper).
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%...

Plus, unlike the ones we used 4 decades ago, they truly last 6 years and they even come with a 6 year guarantee.

The high-end merchandise at department stores are always aimed for gifting, and this is not just about randoseru but for any kind of item. Grandparents of both sides rush to be the ones to buy the one randoseru for their dear grandchild and they want it to be something valuable.

By the way, a lot of parents-to-be tend to think that randoseru are stressful and so did I, but once you start using them for your children, you are often amazed at how practical they are.

Especially the modern ones are very light and very organized. In Japan, students are supposed to bring home all their text books every day, but your sons can throw a bag full of books on a field on their way back from school and still keep them in shape (as they go pick it up with their moms later). Most importantly, they keep your back straight.

You can see the difference when your children start using other bags once they're in junior high school, except that the thankful thing is that junior high students don't throw their bags around.

In Japan, the pre-schoolers themselves look very forward for randoseru, and now they even come in all different colors. I still remember that I was thrilled to have mine some 40 odd years ago.

Yet, a lot of school letters do end up like "accordion curtain"s in the bottom of your kid's randoseru...

I think ay's comment is fair and not worthy of bashing...

My randoseru nor my son's had nothing to do with herds or bullying or mie. People even make tiny versions of their used randoseru just for memories. My son still has his as a whole after 7 years since graduation. There even was a randoseru-donation project and even a debate on "would new students really appreciate old randoseru?" upon the Tohoku Earthquake. Some posts do make you feel very sad.

By the way, I checked Takashimaya's official website and it seems that all randoseru ads offer prices less than 60000 yen. Anyway, again, the common ones are just 100 bucks.

http://www.takashimaya.co.jp/store/special/entrance/brand/index.html

It's one of the sites in Japan I just love to see, lines of elementary school children with their gorgeous back packs...I have looked a few times to purchase one for me...I saw them at Seibu for Y23000.

I just assumed having seen them everywhere that they were a lovely tradition for the milestone of starting school.

Thanks for confirming what I had imagined.

Uco, thanks for the reply.
I'm not sure which brands they were but the ones we saw at Takashimaya ranged from ~Y60,000 to Y90,000.

Stewy63,

Maybe you were looking at these;
http://www.narumiya-online.jp/webshop/ec_item_list.html?brandId=&catId...

A Google search led me to this exclusively flowery brand. While searching I found a couple of blogs that were discussing bags as expensive as 90000 yen, and all the Japanese parent posters were stunned by the price. But from their posts we can assume that for some people the cute designs are just irresistible. Some seem to have bought it at a 40% discount through an acquaintance, though.

I did find a thorough explanation (in Japanese) about this brand, and it seems that they're popular enough to be sold out 6 months ahead.
http://flowerdolce.com/landseru1/mezzopiano/entry2.html

I suppose it's like, some people prefer Hermes while others prefer flea market T-shirts. Either way, department stores are supposed to display the most fanciest stuff so that customers can have fantasies while roaming through the building. Honestly, solid red or solid black is good enough for me.


Jojo,

You make me smile :)