We had planned to go look for backpacks on Monday. However, we ended up making a whole day of it on Sunday, (a whole day early), instead. Now, Noboru had done a huge amount of research, as did I. However we didn't agree, lol. He came to the conclusion that he wanted Branden to get a Miki House backpack (granted maybe a big fancy brand in Japan, but it's certainly not in the US, so I am not exactly impressed or dazzled by this brand, sorry to say, but I'm just not). The hubs liked it because it is expensive, had name brand appeal and blah blah blah! Now, I came to the opposite conclusion. I also did a helluva lot of reseach and I wanted B to get a Rara brand backpack. No fancy shmancy name brand appeal, so what!!! It had quality and that's what I looked for straight away, most important! Remember when the yochien gave us a stack full of backpack catalogs, the past few weeks or so ago? Well, after flipping through each page about a zillion different times, I decided that the brand I preferred was the brand "rara." They just seemed to have better features, bar none. Better quality and whatnot. So hubby and I, went to see the Miki House first. Lucky for us, Miki house backpacks are in Narita. So close! This pic is of Branden trying on the Miki House! I will cut to the chase and tell you, I hated it! Quality seemed like crap, no offense. I wonder what the poor sales girl thought, as Noboru, Branden, Noah and myself were looking at them at Miki House. I was polite and gracious, but if I didn't like it, I said so. But the backpack was such an important item and has to last so many years. That today, I pulled no punches with my wonderful hubby! You can see Noboru's hands looking and touching the backpack in this picture.
Again since this is a huge freaking investment, it had to be held up to an unbelievable high set of standards. So, I looked at that Miki House over with a fine tooth comb. And now remember the Rara had 9 key points that made their backpack superior, lol. And as I flipped through the Miki House, I told Noboru, "Aha, this Miki House does not have feature #8, like the rara's have!!!" LOL, a bit dorky yes, but this was an important purchase! Meaning no light reflectors! The ones on the Miki House were just silver metal, no refelctors at all. Granted I doubt my son would be walking around at night and needing a car to see him, but for that absurd price they should have had them, was my point. But, again, if the Miki House didn't have that feature. Not good. I showed Noboru and said, see? It also was missing a few other key features as well. Also, the material looked flimsy. I told Noboru, look at the material? It looks flimsy and cheaply made. This won't last six years! And then I said, "Are we just buying the little logo on the side or we actually looking for a quality backpack for Branden. And then, I backed off and said....but you tell me what you think sweetie! But I don't think this is good. Noboru was meanwhile silent, but shaking his head when I spoke. And he kept touching and feeling the backpack. And then he turned to me and said. "I think we better go see the other backpacks" I knew right then, Noboru didn't like that backpack either. So, we took off. We saw a few other ones in the mall. Benneton, looked really nice you guys. Puma and the Aeon brand ones are actually really super quality. Really really nice actually! However, I was dead set on that Rara one. Or at least knew we had to take a look. Their main shop (lucky for us) was in Chiba city. A bit far, but not bad. Also, look at the bottom of Branden's sweatshirt here in this pic? Clean right? Well, in the next couple pics, it isn't. He ends up sitting on a smooshed piece of chocolate that was stuck on his car seat! Ugh, what a mess! Ha ha ha! Oh well, it's real life! And sometimes important days like today, your kid can end up sitting on some chocolate! Ha ha ha! Oh man! : )
These are the features, I loved about the rara brand. Granted not a fancy brand like Miki House, but a well known and trusted manufacturer of school backpacks in Japan. The thick padding for your kids shoulder. Plus you get shoulder pad covers too, not that you need them though because the straps are comfy anyway. Also, the shoulder straps are actually ergonomically shaped as the man explained it. Like an hour glass or whatever, the straps do not slip off your child's shoulder at all. The shape of them makes sure the straps will go in the right place and no slippage. The light reflectors. The double stiching. And so on. The back support. Very cushiony. Some are just hard and have no cushion at all. The Miki house did not have the shapely shoulder strap and they were not padded either, they felt, thin and like they would slip down all the time. I really had to be hard and tough when I went choosing the backpack. And I checked each backpack we looked at and saw if they contained all 9 of these things. Most didn't. Some came close though, but no cigar, ha ha ha! : )
I really loved the picture in the rara catalog of the little old Japanese granny sewing the backpacks. They are all hand sewn, and all made to order! Ours isn't even made yet! So it's quality! Really good quality. Some of the cheaper ones at the shopping mall when we were looking at the Miki House one, looked like they came off a huge conveyor belt of mass production. In other words, they looked cheap.
This is the type of backpack we ended up getting for Branden. In the rara catalog there are so many different styles. But this style really hit me. I saw this picture of the two little Japanese kids wearing their normal or street clothes mind you. And they were wearing them, just basic backpacks, but they had just that little bit of flare with the stitching. That really hit me! I loved that one! Basic yes, but still having that little extra special thing with the stitching. I must have stared at this pic a million times, you guys! Ha ha ha! Hey, at least Im being honest! I was head over heels about this backpack. 
The color variation was wide. And the one I fell in love with was the black one. Hubby really liked it as well. But then he chose the Miki House first, but since being totally disappointed by the quality of the Miki House, we saw in person, we drove down to rara. And like I told Noboru, Miki House is fine and all, but they are not technically specializing in backpacks either. The quality isn't going to be equal of a company specializing in nothing but backpacks from generations back, know what I mean. If that makes sense at all. Again just our families opinion though.
Also, since most Japanese houses have little storage space. When your child ends elementary school and now starts junior high school. You would want to keep the backpack for your child as a keep sake, right? However since the backpack is large, you can have it shrunk. Made smaller. And down to a size that fits into your hand. See this picture? Ha ha ha! I am guessing they would actually cut it down, to make it that small. Interesting concept, huh? Many companies do this though. The rara company does this as well.
The actual Rara store. Not in part of a mall or anything. It looked closed at first. The website said it was open Sundays. However the sign on the door said, closed Sundays. Did we just drive all that way for nothing? Noboru pushed on the door and sure enough it was open. Phew! It was a little Japanese grandpa and grandma who own the store. The elderly man was *very* nice! Both of them were! I brought my trusty well used rara catalog with me. He saw, I came prepared, with my own worn 2008 catalog. Showed him the picture of what I was looking for, though I could find it myself. He knew by the catalog that we didn't just wander off the street. We planned to go there. We meant business! Ha ha ha! : ) But again, I was going to be, tough when judging this backpack too though, without mercy! Ha ha ha. I ran it through a full look over with a fine tooth comb, yet again too. Ha ha ha! Wink, wink! : )
We had Branden try it on a few times, at least. Poor kid, "on again Branden" "off again Branden" "on again Branden" Ha ha ha!!! I looked through the blasted thing 3 times! Noboru looked through it twice! We also looked at every other backpack in the entire store, until we decided that this was indeed the one!
The side of the backpack also has a side reflector. And yes, some companies that may sell backpacks with them on the back, yet a lot don't have the reflectors on the side. But this one has reflectors on the back and the sides. Safety! And I liked that as a mom, to me that was really important! The stiching on the sides. I loved that preppy diamond shaped stitching. Not just boring on the sides, like the Miki House or most of them are. It had these little details that made it different, that made it special and unique. I loved the quilted stiching on the sides a bunch. It looks like good quality when I see that stitching. My sons backpack may be basic black that is true, but I will be able to find his backpack, right away! : )
See the smashed choco on Branden's back of his sweatshirt? Geeze! And we didn't even give him a dot of chocolate today. And they rarely eat sweets, and especially not in the car. We have been stumped over the chocolate. But as I wiped the bit of smooshed chocolate off the seat belt, it is indeed sweet chocolate. Halloween candy, I am guessing, hmm!
The backpacks are so cute. Some are classic looking. Some are so new and cutting edge. And some are basic with stylish stitching to stop them from looking boring. Like these girl backpacks in the picture. The girl backpacks were so gorgeous, I am so glad I don't have a daughter. Only because they were all so cute, how would I ever decide which backpack to choose, if I had a daughter. Ha ha ha. The choice would be hard to make. Also in this picture you can see the double stitching better since the stitching is white. They are indeed all double stitched. Double stitched all over. Even the outter rim of this red backpack, is stitched with red blendable thread and thin stitched with 1 line of white. But indeed they are all double stitched everywhere. Same with Branden's black one, he got today.
This blue striped backpack is the one I really *really* wanted for Branden. But, I worried about him blending in and if he would be asking us for a black backpack a few month's later. Meanwhile, Noboru wouldn't even consider the blue backpack with stripes, he thought it was just weird, sigh. Ha ha ha, I liked it : )
The basic, of basic ones in the pic on the lower shelf. And the ones with a stripe on top. Their whole business is backpacks and they know a whole bunch about them. I felt better buying from an actual backpack manufacturer. They indeed all have warranty's for 6 years. And if anything ever needs to be fixed (highly doubt that), they will give your child a loaner backpack. Now, that's excellent customer service! Ha ha ha! : )
See that enormous backpack, is that Totoro's backpack or what? Ha ha ha! It's actually a visual to show how they will shrink the backpacks after your child finishes with elementary school. See the 2 smaller ones down below? Also, I think as of right now, we won't be shrinking Branden's backpack in 6 years. I think we have enough storage room and we will just keep his actual size, ha ha ha. But nice to know it's an option though! : )
Quality was fantastic. The look, traditional mostly. But with that little smidgen of difference to make it special, like the stitched stars, which our family just loves! Two little circle light reflectors down below. It's all double stitched, just like the girls ones, but with the black stitching you really can't see the double stitching, but it's there! Didn't seem flimsy, not even a bit. Really strong and well made. What's in this picture, is what B's backpack will be looking like once it gets made.
Nice back support and padding for the back. So it's not just like a piece of hard plastic or whatever hurting B's back. So it's comfy. And the shapely shoulder straps and padded straps. They don't slip off or slip down. Also, the stitching on the arm straps. And those little hooks, the 2 metal hoops on the straps below the stars. One is going to have a kid alert device. And if anyone tries to grab our child, as he is walking, all he has to do is pull it and it lets off a blinding screetching earth shattering, attention grabbing noise. It's an alarm. Very poplular in elementary school kids in Japan. So if anyone tries to take our child, the noise is enough to scare the living daylights outta the abductor. And people will come running! However since school kids, all walk together, he should be fine anyway. But we are getting him that device anyway. It's nice that there's a place he can hang it.
This is how the backpack opens and closes. It opens from underneath the backpack. And it's a turning type. We feel so relieved! Because in Japan the 2 big things you have to get outta the way are the backpack and the desk. And just having knocked the backpack off the list. We feel really accomplished about it now! Yay, we are getting ready you guys! And what does Branden think of his backpack? He loves it! As do we! We placed our order! And, since we ordered early enough, we got a choice of getting it delievered on January 25th, Feb25th or March 25th. Now, being early birds, we went with the earliest date of January 25th. And according to the older man and his wife, the #25, is lucky for school children. And Japanese tend to be into good luck days and bad luck days, and such. And so, they said, for our child to have a succesful school year, they chose the 25th for all delivery dates that they sell. So, it will be delivered to us on January 25th, we can't wait. It's also coming with a ton of freebies. Like cushions, covers, book bags, etc. I know it's about 6 years too early, but when Noah enters elementary school, we will be buying our backpack from this company again, without a doubt. What advice would I offer a fellow gaijin gal pal, if she was about to buy a backpack in Japan? I guess, I'd just say, buy whatever is best for your family. Buy whatever you guys like, first and foremost. Check what's popular in your own city in Japan too. And from whatever company meets your own families expectations. In closing there really is no right or wrong choice. Anyway, Im just glad we found the perfect backpack for our son and that it met our families expectations! I really am! : )
On our way home from the backpack store, we stopped off at Mc Donald's for lunch and then we hit the video store. Rented the kids one DVD. And we rented The new Harry Potter dvd, and Spider Man 3. Had dinner at home, and popcorn with the movie. I also threw Branden's sweatshirt into the washer as soon as we got home. I Spray and Washed it, ha ha ha, and then washed it asap. It came right out! Phew! ha ha ha! : )
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