So I have a fascination with purses! I love buying a fashionable tote ... small, big, leather, canvas ... in all sorts of colors and styles. Well, I am in good company here in Japan! In fact, you might say I am in Handbag Heaven!
Because very few Japanese people have cars or only drive them occasionally, they are often having to tote a day's worth of essentials. So if you are going to the gym before work and then going to head out with friends for dinner afterward, you had better bring all your stuff with you when you walk out the door. Often I have seen teens carrying large athletic bags, along with their backpacks, ready for their afterschool tennis or soccer practices. Or mothers are often toting large diaper bags along with their slightly smaller purses. And, as Joey on "Friends" attempted to make the Man Bag fashionable for New Yorkers, the Japanese men are commonly found sporting a messenger bag or pouch dangling from their belt loop or yukata, often on top of their briefcase.
The women's purses range from big to bigger. There are very few women only carrying a small wallet on a string. These purses are HUGE! You could hide a small child in some of these bags! So needless to say, the department stores have a vast array of handbags! Did I mention "Heaven"?
So what would be in these large bags ... Here is what I would predict, based on what I have seen:
* Wallet, full of yen, credit cards, ID, and either their SUICA Train Pass or Subway Pass
* Kei-tai (cell phone) adorned with multiple dangling charms ... a topic worth it's own blog post!
* Fan, definitely a necessity, especially this time of year!!
* Handkerchief ... used for drying hands after using the restroom and for mopping off the sweat from your face. ESSENTIAL!
* A bottle of some sort of refreshment ... 99% of the time being Green Tea.
* Book ... usually a paperback wrapped in a bookcover like we used to do with our high school textbooks. My theory is that people do this (usually a service provided by the bookstore), so curious eyes on the train don't all know what each other is reading. They are very private people, and I think this is a good example ... at least that's my theory.
* Makeup ... usually applied after mopping off the first round that has been smeared from sweat.
* Umbrella ... now, there are exceptions to this ... see below!
* Hat ... again, see below.
* Set of keys to your house/apartment and your bike lock.
* And anything else that might be necessary for that particular day.
If there's no room in one purse, the women likely have many more to choose from and they can also be doubled up. A smaller purse for essentials and a larger bag for work-related things. I've been amazed at how so many match their purses to their outfits.
Now carrying these purses can often be tedious, but add to that all the shopping bags these women are often hoisting as well. A stop at Kichijoji can net 4 or 5 shopping bags, at least. Add a purse and another bag of workout gear and try and fight your way onto the train. Oh ... and all this while wearing 3-inch heels, too!
Speaking of shoes ... Japanese women must be trained in acrobatics or tight-rope walking because they manage to wear these tiny, high-heeled shoes day in and day out ... clicking up and down the stairs of the train stations, running to meet their train, and wandering for hours through countless shops in Shinjuku or Harajuku! These feet must be Fred Flintstone tough! I don't know how they do it! And the shelves of shoes in the department stores are even more abundant than the purses.
OK, back to umbrellas. So it rains a lot over here, so umbrellas are everywhere! Even when it's not raining, women commonly open their umbrella for a break from the sun. And the majority of these umbrellas are not the light-weight, compact, fit in your back pocket kind. They are Mary Poppins umbrellas, but with a very, very useful crooked handle rather than the ornamental duck's head. That crook is perfect for dangling from your arm, purse, or even pants pocket, while you balance other purses, totes and shopping bags.
Hats ... Oh how I love hats! I wish I could wear hats, but they just look goofy on me! But the Japanese wear hats on a regular basis! It all begins as they enter Kindergarten ... hats are part of the school uniform. But even before then, as I think about it, mothers are commonly protecting their baby's head with a cute bonnet. So hats are a very common accessory ... shielding from the sun, wind and rain or snow ... all while being very fashionable. The styles and varieties are endless. So, wanting to look as fashionable as the Japanese I bought a hat ... but I'm pretty sure I look just as goofy as ever!
So, with the purses, hats, umbrellas, fans and shoes, Japan is a dream for one who loves to accessorize! I've already bought 2 purses, several fans and one hat ... good thing my trip is nearing the end ... otherwise I could go broke just buying accessories!
