Figure 1.--These junior boys are wearing their black randoseru. Note that they are a uniform style. The senior boys at the same school have a different uniform and different book bags. |
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Almost all Japanese elementry school boys and girls carry bookbags (randoseru) on their backs. In private school, where the administration is often more conservative, the color is almost always black. (In some schools, the bookbags are dark brown.) In public school, boys generally have black randoseru and girls have red randoseru. In recent years, a variey colors have appeared, but most boys/girls still have black/red randoseru. They seem to be quite large, suggesting that the boys, even in elementary school, have quite a large amount of homework. Randoseru are so common that they have become a symbol for Japanese primary school students.
"Randoresru" is not originally a Japanese word. According to one source, the word apparently originated from the Dutch word "Ransel". We can not confirm this at this time. We are not sure why the Japanese would have selected a Dutch style or used a Dutch word. The Dutch were one of the few countries that Japan had relations with during Japan's long period of isolationism. Although after the Menji Restorattion, Prussia was a more important influence. Of course Dutch and German are very close. Randoseru it wolud seem could as well have originated from the German (Schul-)Ranzen. Randoseru are so common that they have become a symbol for Japanese primary school students.
The story of Japanese school book bags began at Gakushuin school. Gakushuin originated as the school for the Imperial family and aristocrats. As such it was extremely influential. It is now one of Japan's most prestigious private schools. (One of HBC's Japanese consultants graduated from Gakushuin junior and senior high school.) Gakushuin in 1885 prohibitted their students coming to school by horse carriage. When the boys then had to come to school on foot they needed the bags to carry their books. This is the begining of Randoseru in Japan. The original Randoseru were made from cloth. Actually the model for it was the shoulder bag worn by Japanese army soldiers. Randoseru made from leather first appeared in 1887. Hirobumi Ito, the
first prime minister in Japan, gave the prince a leather randoseru. The Randoseru carried by Japanese boys today is almost identical with the one given to the prince in 1887. Some of these bags look to us very similar to the books bags used by German school children. A HBC reader has noted the similarity also. He writes, "
I just realized that the German book bag of the 1900s through 1930s
resemble the Japanese book bags of today. I wonder if the Japanese copied
the German book bag." (Actually German boys had those satchels before the 1900s, only HBC does not have many 19th century images.) we wonder if the Gdrman or Dutch school satches were an influence. (Prussian cadet uniforms influenced school uniforms.) A Japanese reader writes, "I think that the basic style of Japanese school satchels was modeled on those used by German children, but am not positive. he word itself (Randoseru) is derived, I believe, from German. (It certainly isn't from English.) Japanese uniforms have a tendency to "freeze" fashions that were popular decades ago in other countries but long since disappeared there. The Keio uniform (figure 2) derives, I believe, from French children's fashions of the 1920s." The German terms are Tornister, Schultasche, ans Schulranzen. One source suggests that the term comes from the Dutch word Ransel. The Dutch and German satchel styles were identical. Gakushuin in 1890 decided that the black leather Randoseru should be the standard type worn by all boys. Given the importance of Gakushuin, schools and parents all over Japan adopted this style. Not all parents could afford a leather book bag, but this was what most parents purchased if they could afford one.
Randoseru were commonly worn by Japanese primary school children, especially by the 1950s when economic conditions improved and more and more parents could afford a proper leather randoseru. They seem to be a very similar design at least until the 1990s. Some seem larger than outhers, but perhaps the bgs just look larger when they are worn by a smaller boy. The same bag can look huge on a little boy and tiny on a big boy. They were almost universally worn in the 1960s through the 1980s. Many images of primary-age children show them coming to school with these classic book bags. We notice cheaper vinyl rndoseru done in colors during the 1970s. We see advertisement offering these book bags. One example of a book bag advertisement may date to 1977. New casual type Randoseru apeared at Department stores in the 1990s. Boys had unifiorm schools had the same style of book bag. At non uniform scchools a variety of book bags were permitted. This was especually the case as a greater variety of bags appeared in the stores beginning in the 1970s. The uniform schools tended to be more conservative. And we mostly notice them with blck, traditiinally styled randoseru
Almost all Japanese elementry school boys and girls carry bookbags ("randoseru") on their backs. The Japanese are very serious about education. Thus even young elementary children are assigned home work. A similar situation was noted in France. While the assignments are not as exhaustive as those made in seciondary schools, they are often much more involved than those given to American school children. Thus book bags are needed to cart the books back and fort from school.Our Japanese consultant notes, however, that book bags for homework can be overstated. He notes that while there is some homework, the main reason that boys have book bags is that all children keep their notebooks and textbooks at their home. It is normal in Japan. Even if they are not assigned homework, the children still carry all their textbooks and notebooks for home. It is habit.
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Primary school uniformed satchels are stiff over the shoulders Randoseru-style satchels. The colors are black for boys; red for girls. In the 2000s the key differences between primary and middle school uniforms are headgear and satchels. Although generation ago, middle and high school boys wore caps, now they don't. Primary school students wear some form of headgear; secondary don't. Primary school students carry the stiff randoseru. Secondary school students don't; they carry soft bags.
Children at private and public schools tend to have different book bags.
In private school, where the administration is often more conservative, schools generally require uniforms and have reguklatiions even for book bags. Thus the children at private schools often have the same style and color of book bags. The color of book bags at private schools is almost always black. (In some schools, the bookbags are dark brown.)
In public school, boys generally have black randoseru and girls have red
randoseru. In recent years, a variey colors have appeared, but most boys/girls still have black/red randoseru. They seem to be quite large, suggesting that the boys, even in elementary school, have quite a large amount of homework.
They seem to be quite large, suggesting that the boys, even in elementary
school, have quite a large amount of homework. HBC is not entirely sure what besides books and pencils are packed inside those bags. It of course varied somewhat from hild to child, but many of the conents would have been similar. One common items would be an abacus (we are not sure if calculators have veen added lately) which Japanese educators believe are hekpul in building numeracy concepts. Other items might be: compas, handkerchief, pens, pencil box, portractor, recorder (basic muical instruments), renrakucho, ruler, textbooks, and tissues.
Randoseru can be quite expensive, especially the leather ones. Thet might cost about $200. But they are normally used for all four years of primary school.
Note the purple tag that the boy in the photograph wears (figure 2). The purple tug is in fact an amulet. Most Japanese are not very religious. Even so, many children commonly wore amulets. It is a kind of custom, rather like a good luck charm. Japanese children might wear amulets
to protect them from traffic accidents or other unforseen disaster. They are purchased at Budist temples or Shinto shrines.
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