Proceed or "de-randoseru" April 4 at 17:15
At the entrance ceremony, there is a "shiny school bag".
This landscape is now changing.
The town of Tateyama in Toyama Prefecture has launched a nationwide initiative to distribute rucksacks used to commute to school free of charge to new first-year students.
Are you a rucksack person? Or the randoseru faction?
We interviewed each of them about their thoughts.
(Toyama Broadcasting Station Reporter Shinji Hashimoto)
New entrance ceremony
The entrance ceremony was held on April 4 at Tateyama Chuo Elementary School in Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture.
Accompanied by a guardian, there was a child in an unfamiliar rucksack in the familiar scenery of a new first-year student carrying a school bag on his back.
It is a rucksack for commuting to school made by a major outdoor equipment manufacturer.
When the town asked companies to make an alternative to randoseru, this manufacturer was selected and developed.
It will be distributed free of charge to all children entering municipal elementary schools for at least three years from this fiscal year.
Parents welcomed them.
Guardian
: "You provided it for free, so that's an instant decision.
Guardian
: "Randoseru are also at a good price, so if you can get them for free, I will use them, because there are many other things to buy besides randoseru."
"I don't want my children to feel lonely."
Free distribution of rucksacks began as part of child-rearing support.
In the background is the purchase price of randoseru, which is rising year by year.
According to a questionnaire survey conducted by the Japan Bag Association of Randoseru Manufacturers Association, a bag manufacturer, who asked 4,1500 parents nationwide whose children entered elementary school in FY Reiwa 5, the average price of a randoseru purchased was more than 6000,4 yen, about 4000,55 yen higher than four years ago.
Grandparents account for about 1% of the purchases, and school bags with decorations or expensive materials tend to be chosen as a gift for their grandchildren's enrollment, and the declining birthrate is increasing the cost of one child.
Mayor Funahashi of Tateyama Town
: "There are families who are struggling to obtain school bags, so we started with the thought that distributing rucksacks to all children would help parents. I don't want my children to feel lonely. Families who can afford it should use bicycles, helmets, and other items other than school bags for their children's lives and learning."
Know-how of outdoor equipment manufacturers everywhere
This rucksack, which was born from the town's proposal, can store the same A4 size as the school bag, and because of the nylon material, the main body weighs about 930 grams, which is very light compared to conventional leather school bags.
Incorporating the know-how cultivated as an outdoor goods manufacturer, in addition to adopting materials with excellent waterproof and durability, we have enlarged the handle for ease of opening and closing and easy to put luggage.
Due to the design reminiscent of a randoseru and its high functionality, many people from all over the country wanted to purchase it, and it was released to the general public in December last year, but it has received a great response, such as a flood of orders and production not being able to keep up.
Tatsuno, Chairman of a major outdoor goods manufacturer, said, "Based on the concept of making what we wanted,
we repeated trial and error and devised ingenuity everywhere.
Strong popularity of randoseru
On the other hand, there were many children who went to school with school bags instead of the rucksacks that were distributed.
At the entrance ceremony of Tateyama Chuo Elementary School, which I interviewed, about 7% of the students were randoseru.
A girl who longed for a school bag.
A parent who wants to buy a school bag for them.
Thoughts vary.
Parent
: "My child liked the randoseru and fell in love with it at first sight, and I always said that it was good.
Guardian
: "This is a school bag that my grandmother bought, and I think you can change it to a school bag or rucksack depending on the day."
In fact, the bags used in elementary schools are not stipulated by laws and school regulations that must be school bags.
According to Associate Professor Naoko Fukushima of Chiba Institute of Technology, who is familiar with school education, at the pre-enrollment parent briefing held at many schools, the conversation proceeded on the premise of "Please put this in your randoseru," and parents and grandparents consulted with "who will buy the randoseru." It spread throughout the country as a stereotype.
In addition, there have been local governments that have distributed bags to replace randoseru, but when they said that they could only use the bags they distributed, there were many cases where parents did not accept them, saying, "I wanted to choose one with my family" or "I wanted to give it here because it was a celebration."
Associate Professor
Fukushima of Chiba Institute of Technology says, "Since randoseru are deeply rooted in culture, it is thought that if parents are deprived of their freedom to choose, they will not be accepted.
Movement of introduction in many municipalities
The free distribution of rucksacks that began in Tateyama Town has since expanded to other municipalities.
Komagane City in Nagano Prefecture and Murayama City in Yamagata Prefecture also distributed backpacks free of charge to new students this spring.
In addition, manufacturers have received inquiries from nearly 20 local governments nationwide.
What is the reaction of randoseru manufacturers?
Randoseru manufacturers have taken a stand in response to these movements.
We heard from randoseru manufacturers in the prefecture that the diversification of the market is a natural change, and that the increase in options should be welcomed.
Randoseru have also improved with the times, and now there are light products that weigh less than 1 kg and products that can be purchased at a relatively reasonable price of about 2,<> yen.
In addition, manufacturers in Osaka City have started a so-called "subscription" service that allows you to choose your favorite randoseru for a fixed fee, which became a hot topic.
After the interview
Tateyama Town's initiative this time seems to be of great significance because it specifically presents rucksacks as a new option other than randoseru, and by distributing them free of charge, more funds can be allocated to children's lives and learning.
It will be interesting to see if backpacks will expand in the future, but above all, I felt that the most important thing is that children can enjoy going to school with their favorite bags, whether they are school bags or rucksacks.
Toyama Broadcasting Station reporter
Shinji Hashimoto
Joined the Hakodate and Otaru bureaus in 2016 and is currently in charge of the Toyama bureau
economy.