Do you remember the iconic Japan backpack in anime? Yes, that is the Randoseru backpack, and no company makes it better than Japan's Tsuchiya Kaban.

At Tsuchiya Kaban, they preserve the traditional Randoseru and honor craftsmanship. In fact, every single backpack at Tsuchiya Kaban is made by the hand of a skilled craftsman, designed by talented artists, with the inspection of qualified technicians and modern materials. One of the breakthroughs is the use of waterproof leather because, traditionally, it is almost impossible for leather to be waterproof. With that at the heart of the factory, Tsuchiya Kaban has become one of the top leather goods brands in Japan.

Tsuchiya Kaban approaches backpacks with a minimalistic design. They let the leather and the usefulness stand out for themselves, as very few products on the market could meet the quality of the Tsuchiya Kaban backpack. In Japan, children mostly wear the Randoseru for the first 6 years of elementary school, and due to the iconic design, many people still continue to use the Randoseru onward. Thus, the Tsuchiya Kaban backpack is meant to be used for a lifetime, with 8 different lengths of adjustable shoulder straps, excellent breathability, and a soft back pad that is perfect for any age.

Behind Tsuchiya Kaban's success is Kunio Tsuchiya, the founder, master, and mentor of Japan's craftsmen. He is one of the few contemporary master craftsmen, and he was awarded the Japan Leather Goods Meister title. Back in 1965, when he was 27, he branched out on his own to create the nowadays renowned Tsuchiya Kaban. There are 17 Tsuchiya Kaban stores in Japan and three locations outside of Japan, but they always have to deal with worldwide demand.

Certainly one of the most popular Japanese backpack brands, Tsuchiya Kaban and its backpacks are one of a kind, constantly innovating and perfecting leathercraft.

Detailed information:
Founded: 1965
Headquarters: Nishiarai, Adachi-ku, Tokyo

Website: https://tsuchiya-kaban.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tsuchiya_kaban/

Instagram followers: 115K

Made in Japan and designed for everyday use, master-piece products have merged high-level functionality and design since 1994. They make a wide range of bags in their in-house factory by skilful craftsmen, using original materials developed from the finest venture worldwide. Their motto is, functional beauty, and it is truly reflected through their products.

Master-piece is a brand dedicated to craftsmanship. They preserve and develop the art of Japanese bag making, handcrafting every product domestically with the highest standard available. They incorporate elegance and beauty into the functional backpack, giving customers the best-looking backpack in the market, yet still highly durable. They use varieties of materials to build backpacks, from natural to artificial, but whatever the material is, they make it robust with water and fire resistance. They treated the products with care.

Master-piece designs its products not only with beauty but also with aim of all purposes backpack in mind. They pay attention to details and equip backpacks with the most surprising features one can think of. Just for example, the back strap has a whistle function, the zipper pocket can be used as a lantern shade when attaching a headlamp inside, and the slider part of the main zipper even serve as a keyhole. Master-piece products are designed to be used, the more one uses them, the more one will discover the depth of their finer details.

With such quality, Master-piece price range is also a little bit higher than a normal backpack. Nevertheless, their aim of preserving, and cooperating traditional Japanese bag-making art into the finest products are always worth the price.

Master-piece is well-recognized all over Japan with 17 stores in the area. They are also having a large number of dealers over the world, and they plan to expand its stores to Thailand and Taiwan. On social media, master-piece is also well known with nearly 40 thousand followers on Instagram.

Detailed information:
Founded: 1994
Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Osaka
Website: master-piece.co.jp

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masterpiece_japan/

Instagram followers: 34,4k

Porter Yoshida Kaban is a Japanese brand that specializes in high-quality bags and luggage. The company was founded on April 1, 1935, by Kichizo Yoshida, who started out making military-style backpacks for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Today, the brand is known for its sleek and functional designs that blend traditional Japanese craftsmanship with modern materials and techniques.

One of Porter Yoshida Kaban's key features is its use of high-quality materials. The company sources the best materials from around the world, including durable nylon, water-resistant fabrics, and top-quality leather. Each bag is made with great attention to detail, with skilled craftspeople using traditional techniques to ensure that every stitch is perfect.

In addition to its core product line, Porter Yoshida Kaban also collaborates with other brands and designers to create special edition bags and accessories. Past collaborations have included partnerships with high-profile brands such as Adidas, Monocle, and BEAMS, as well as with up-and-coming designers from Japan and around the world.

Overall, Porter Yoshida Kaban is a brand that combines Japanese craftsmanship, high-quality materials, and functional design to create bags and luggage that are both stylish and practical.

Detailed information:
Founded: 1935
Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Website: www.yoshidakaban.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/porter_yoshida_co.official/
Instagram followers: 272k

Makavelic is a crossover brand that combines fashion, street culture, and sport to produce durable, fashionable, and functional products. The company mainly produces backpacks and other kinds of bags, with its headquarters in Tokyo.

Using 100% polyester, the Makavelic backpack is lightweight, durable, water-resistant at some level, and very versatile. They design the products with street style in mind, so every Makavelic bag is cool with a theme of dark color. Also suitable for camping, hiking, or trekking, the backpack is spacious with multiple belt zones and versatile materials. Makavelic designers keep in mind that backpacks are for multiple purposes, so they design every Makavelic bag to meet every condition.

Makavelic has a wide range of options for customers to choose from. They even categorize backpacks into different uses, so the guest would not be lost in their product list. They have shops in Japan and Hong Kong and an online shop with worldwide shipping options. With excellent quality, it is surprising that Makavelic products are not nearly as costly at all. In fact, their rate is even below the average price of backpacks in Japan.

Being one of the more popular brands in Japan, Makavelic has 12,7 thousand followers on Instagram. In short, Makavelic is one of the best budget backpack brands in Japan.

Pros: durable, robust, excellent quality, with designs leaning towards the urban streetwear vibe.

Detailed Information:

Headquarters: Musashino City, Tokyo

Website: makavelic.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/makavelic_official/

Instagram followers: 12,7k

F/CE is a special Japanese backpack brand. Their designs are influenced by global experience as well as functionality to create high-quality clothing and bags built for urban exploration.

Established in 2010, F/CE's main idea is technical fashion. They ensure the products not only look good but also function well, are sturdy, and are sustainable. Their design theme is "nation", as they travel to other countries to experience the foreign lifestyle, history, art, music, and other cultures, using them to design a whole new collection. Every collection is inspired by a different country, with the aim of sharing and enriching people's everyday lives.

Like other quality brands, F/CE takes great care of its products' functionality. Every detail and specification is given extra attention. In addition, F/CE also takes a great deal of work to become more sustainable. Their most recent collection is made from 60% recycled nylon yarn, an environmentally friendly material. All in all, F/CE is one of the most popular brands that produces the best backpacks in Japan.

Detailed information:

Founded: 2010

Website: https://fce.tools/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fce_tools/

Instagram followers: 54K

and wander was launched in 2011 by two designers, Keita Ikeuchi and Mihoko Mori. This brand was born as an execution of a shared passion between the two founders: making “fashion in the nature/mountains just as enjoyable as the everyday fashion”

Based on this philosophy, and wander creates products which incredibly durable, lightweight, which help them carry their backpack with ease. According to their own research and development, they have been creating quality items through precise techniques and practical design details that ensure comfort. Last but not least, the designers of this brand have used the elements of nature in their designs, making sure that every backpack will blend perfectly with the nature.

Since the creators of and wander are expert hikers as well, they feature their backpacks with highly functional and useful details. Just for reference, and wander backpacks have a two-way waterproof YKK front zipper, nylon body with a water-repellent coating, a range of interior pockets that offer ample storage for EDC items and extra snacks for the trail. These details are made through a number of trials and errors to ensure the design can satisfy even the roughest customer.

Detailed information:

Founded: 2011

Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

Website: www.andwander.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andwander_official/

Instagram followers: 94.6k

Founded in 2004, hobo is a Japanese brand with the aim to create a range of robust, functional bags, designed to satisfy a variety of urban lifestyle needs.

hobo has been influenced by 19th-century Americans, those who wandered across America, looking for chances and opportunities. Their life's belonging are only packed in a small bag in their back, which has been combined into hobo design style. Hobo excels at Japanese street carry with a wide variety of durable, functional EDC in great colours.

Hobo designs focus on utility, texture, form, and original detail, produced with the highest quality materials and sturdiest parts. They offer backpacks in five different primary materials: cotton canvas, cow suede, nylon Oxford, shrink leather, and ultrasuede. With a wide range of choices, Hobo proves to be one of the most popular Japanese backpack brands.

Hobo bags are beautiful and versatile. It’s comfortable to carry all day as a backpack and big enough for all of your things inside. If you are looking for an urban-style backpack, then look for that hobo.

Detailed information:

Founded: 2004

Website: https://thathobo.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hobo_official/

Instagram followers: 14,3k

In 2011, when everyone is out and away to escape the earthquake, Paago Works founder Toru Saito wondered, "Is there anything I can do for the world?" Inspire by the devastating earthquake, Toru, who is an experienced outdoor product designer himself, thought he could build a backpack company, which produces functional backpacks to help people "Pack and Go" in emergency cases as well as in everyday use. That is how the popular outdoor brand Paago Works was born.

Based on their experience outdoors, Paago Works spend a lot of time developing the right products. They ask themselves the question, is this the tool they want to use? Only when the answer is yes, the product is built into prototype, tested, and distributed to the market. All Paago Works products are produced in factories in Asia. They execute their passion with pride, bringing out the first-class product with minimal cost, and ensuring that all backpacks reach the highest standard possible.

The Paago Works backpack stands out not only because they are durable, robust, highly functional but also for its well-design. By bringing the center of gravity closer to the body, the backpack feels incredibly light to wear. Paago Works even add a top stabilizer belt to help optimizes the load, and also gives more spaces for add-on.

Detailed information:

Founded: 2011

Website: https://www.paagoworks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paagoworks.official/

Instagram followers: 21,9k

Southern Field Industry is a workplace situated in the Saitama region of Japan. Known for its timeless design and ultimate care for the products, Southern Field Industry has become one of the most popular Japanese backpack brands.

Founded in 2008 by Manabu Okada, a skilled craftsman, he learned the beauty of hard work, the joy of creating good-quality products, and expert craftsmanship in his father's factory. Since then, he has led Southern Field Industry in pursuit of the highest standard and the most beautiful products possible.

Their design concept is simple: respect the nature of materials by getting the best out of them to create the elegance of Southern Field Industry's backpack. More special than other brands, Southern Field Industry handcrafts every single one of its products; thus, every backpack has extensive attention to minute detailing. However, by handcrafting backpacks, Southern Field Industry does not offer plenty of choices. They only have a limited style and design. Nevertheless, every one of them is the best on the market.

Detail information:

Founded: 2008

Headquarters: Saitama

Website: https://southernfieldindustries.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southernfieldindustries/

Instagram followers: 4357

Narifuri is a Japanese streetwear brand that was founded in 2006 by Tatsuya Kimura and Sanae Yoshida. The brand is based in Tokyo and is known for its high-quality, functional clothing that combines traditional Japanese craftsmanship with contemporary street style.

Narifuri's design philosophy is to incorporate features like breathable fabrics, reflective materials, and strategic ventilation to make riding more comfortable and safe. The brand's aesthetic is sleek and minimalist, with a focus on clean lines and understated details.

In addition to cycling apparel, Narifuri also produces a range of accessories like hats and socks, all designed with the same attention to detail and functionality. The brand has gained a following both in Japan and internationally and is well-regarded for its innovative designs and commitment to quality.

Detailed information:

Founded: 2006

Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Website: www.narifuri.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/narifuri_japan/?hl=en

Instagram followers: 12,9k