The Japanese academic year starts in spring, so it won’t be long until the new batch of first-graders head off to school carrying their boxy leather randoseru backpacks. It’ll be an emotional moment ...

Pupils in Japan are complaining that their backpacks for school are too heavy. In a recent survey, more than 90% of children aged 6-12 who use a randoseru - a traditional sturdy backpack - said ...

MAEBASHI -- School backpacks made of fabric used for bulletproof ... online shop and pick it up at a store they designate. (Japanese original by Katsuhiko Masuda) ...

a staple of Japanese childhood for close to 150 years. No one mandates that students use these backpacks, but strong social norms lead most families to purchase them for their children.