[Unit project1] That artifacts which have supported our growth and unchanged for six years

My artifact is a randoseru. Randoseru is a school bag used by elementary school students in Japan.

Please look at the picture. The form is like a backpack. It is made of leather. The color is dark light blue. The color is like a draemon which is a character in Japanese anime. There are flower embroideries in some places. For example, in front of it, shoulder belt, and so on. These flower's color is light pink and dark pink. In front of it, alternately lined up these flowers. In addition, pink threads are used throughout. Flowers are also sewn on the side with pink thread. The inside is checkered in pink.

 

Randoseru has a lot of memories. It is because elementary school is 6 years. In other words, it has 6 years worth of memories. However, I don't remember much about memories of my elementary school student. So, my artifact story is not written in detail. In the state, I will pick up about two stories and write about them.

First, I liked light blue when I chose my randoseru. So, I wanted to have a light blue color randoseru. I said to my mother "I dislike red or pink color randoseru!!" At that time, The girl has usually red or pink randoseru. The boy has usually black or blue randoseru. However, I didn't want to have red or pink randoseru. I chose the randoseru first the color was normal to light blue, and used purple threads. However, I didn't completely decide on my randoseru. I think my mother was troubled because it was hard to decide.

One day, my mother gave me the Randoseru's pamphlet and saw it. I looked at the pamphlet in the car.

”How about this randoseru?” my mother asked me.

”So cute!! I prefer this one!” I reacted like this.

I decided my randoseru to see the pamphlet. The reason is I don’t know. But, I followed my intuition. Finally, I canceled randoseru which chose randoseru first. I chose dark light blue which is my randoseru.

As an aside, I have a younger brother. How long did my younger brother choose his randoseru? 

One day, I and my mother and my younger brother went to choose and decide on his randoseru, my mother and my younger brother looked around and pointed at one.

”Is this randoseru, OK?” my mother asked my younger brother.

”Ok.” he replied like this.

"Well then this is your randoseru." said my mother.

I was so surprised! It is so so quick moment. The time is about 1 minute.!!(might be shorter)

I didn’t know what to do. He isn't particular about his randoseru. I think randoseru is important. It is because randoseru uses six years, very very long!! So, when I chose my randoseru, I was cautious… I felt a little silly for having spent so much time on it.

Now, the moment is so funny story. How did you decide your randoseru?

Second, my randoseru and my friend's were the same brand and form, different colors by chance. My friend's randoseru color is pink. I was glad about it. It is because I have never met a person who has the same randoseru brand and form before and after.  I have met once a person who has the same randoseru. So, It is so rare event for me. I think this event led to my becoming a friend. I was moving house when I was three grads elementary school. At first, I had no friends of the same age at that new school. When I was alone, my friend talked to me because she noticed our randoseru in different colors. In addition, we were going home in the same direction. We immediately became a friend. We used to enjoy anything. I remember it being a lot of fun.

 

These days, It is debated whether randoseru is really necessary. In the first place, there is no obligation for elementary school students to use a randoseru. Now by school rules, It seems to be the case that "the school bag is a randoseru or something like a randoseru that can be carried on the back." The reason why randoseru has taken root in Japan has to do with Japanese culture and social background. In addition, It can be said that the box-shaped schoolbag is unique to Japanese culture. Looking around the world, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Norway are some of the places where backpacks are used for school, just as they are in Japan. Mamata (2019) shows the advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of randoseru include protecting the contents of textbooks and teaching materials, protecting children by cushioning them in case they fall over, and fostering a mindset of taking good care of things with the awareness that they will be used for six years. In contrast, disadvantages of randoseru include their high price, the fact that they may be heavy for children, and hard to put away because of their large size (mamasta,2019). For these reasons, some are starting to distribute city-provided, school-designated backpacks. I agree with this project. It is because I think reduces the burden on households. However, I also do not want to see randoseru go away because I guess randoseru is important in Japanese culture. 

I'll raise one more social issue related to randoseru. In the past, It was general for boys to have black color randoseru, and girls to have red color randoseru. Many colors are now sold and used by elementary school students. However, It said gender issues of color still remain strong even with more color choices. Hasegawa states that boys tend to choose cold colors which as black, navy, and blue color. Girls tend to choose warm and soft colors which as pink, light purple, and so on (Hasegawa, 2022). I wish for a world where people can choose any color they want.

 

-Refraction-

Hasegawa youko (2022,5,20)朝日新聞デジタル ランドセルから考える、色とジェンター　ピンクは、黒は誰の色？　 https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASQ5L7QKHQ5BUCVL009.html

mamasta(2019,7,16) ランドセルって本当に必要？ママたちか考えるべストな通学カバンとは？ 　https://select.mamastar.jp/320360