Backpacks are...? in tokyo

[deepbluevibes]

Back here in California, when I want to bring a ton of crap with me somewhere (drumsticks, camera, writing tablet, books, food, etc.) I will just take a backpack with me and wear it around to keep all of this stuff with me.

How acceptable is this in Tokyo? Just wondering if it infringes on any cultural boundaries, or if I would just look plain stupid doing this, or if by some long shot I would actually look "fashionable" hahah.

[Henjin]

Funny you mention it. I was gonna get a backpack to carry around my stuff on my trip... Never even thought about if it was 'cool' or not... Don't really care either, but it's an interesting question.

[akitaka]

I don't think it's much to care for; since I packed light all the time (as in, one shoulder bag and a med sized carry-on for a 3 week trip), it was easy to just shove my stuff in a locker to return to when done from an outing. If you get looks for some strange reason, make it like Azreal and optic-blast them until they're looking at the ground or something. Personally, I've always carryed around a shoulder bag maybe about 1' x 1.5' in size...

...which reminds me to my question; exactly how unsafe are lockers nowadays? I haven't had anything stolen, but in a city like Shinjuku/Shibuya I'm sure there are a good share of kleptos running around.

[deepbluevibes]

I don't think it's much to care for; since I packed light all the time (as in, one shoulder bag and a med sized carry-on for a 3 week trip), it was easy to just shove my stuff in a locker to return to when done from an outing. If you get looks for some strange reason, make it like Azreal and optic-blast them until they're looking at the ground or something. Personally, I've always carryed around a shoulder bag maybe about 1' x 1.5' in size...

...which reminds me to my question; exactly how unsafe are lockers nowadays? I haven't had anything stolen, but in a city like Shinjuku/Shibuya I'm sure there are a good share of kleptos running around.

Well, this is what i'd probably be carrying around in my backpack;

Camera
Batteries
Katakana and Hiragana sheets
20 + pages of random notes/sentences for Tokyo that me or my dad might need (him more than me haha, although he'll have his own copy)
Stuff that i've bought during the day if I'm carrying too many bags
Drumsticks (drummania machines, real drums)
copy of passport, along with one back at our hotel and one in our pockets
whatever else I need to carry in there

So does anyone honestly know if there are any cultural rules that would be crossed by wearing one around? Or, again, just for aesthetic's sake, if it's bad looking?

[akitaka]

You seem to be packing pretty light to carrying things around; there's nothing that particularly stands out. If you're wonder if it's strange to be bag-totting at all, then this (http://www.fashioninjapan.com/Free_Tour_New/FT_bags1.htm) might help...just a hunch, though, in an aesthetic sense.

I stated in another post that "as long as you aren't carrying a 40lb bag" that you're cool, which I've seen pretty often...coupled with shorts + hat. Guys like that stood out oh so bad. From what we've seen so far, though, you shouldn't have any trouble.

[Kusoyaro]

i don't even have a backpack. when i went to europe two summers ago i took my wallet and a pencil, SERIOUSLY. it was so awesome, my folks were crying they thought i was going to die.

[akitaka]

problem is, i'm wearing the smallest size in jeans for guys in america, and my pants STILL sag.
I stand in the same circle, only I weigh about 120-125. Because of this, I wear waist size 28, and used to wear 32 in HS when I was into the whole baggy jeans stuff...I can comment on the pants falling down with stuff, but won't.
I don't recommend pants stuffing anyways since the packed trains could have you losing them pretty easy. Bumping into 10+ people...can dishevel some, so reasonable bags are always a plus.

When I made transfers with my family (mother, 2 sisters), it was a nightmare getting from station to station because of all the damn luggage they hauled around. I had to carry 50lbs more weight, and it was not fun.

[nice gaijin]

you probably won't avoid being labeled a foreigner, no matter how you dress.

I had a small one-strap backpack from old navy that was just large enough for a few small books, my camera and dictionary, and maybe a bottle of water. I called it my banana-sling (cause of the shape, get your mind out of the gutter!). That was all I needed.

Backpacks are fine, but if you have a lot of stuff in them take them off when you are riding the trains or buses; my friend was taking people out with his massive backpack getting on and off the train when we had to move around. it's a courtesy thing.

[Frankey-eh]

just don't over-stuff your backpack. When you're walking ten miles a day like we did, having a rolling backpack REALLY helped.

[deepbluevibes]

you probably won't avoid being labeled a foreigner, no matter how you dress.

I had a small one-strap backpack from old navy that was just large enough for a few small books, my camera and dictionary, and maybe a bottle of water. I called it my banana-sling (cause of the shape, get your mind out of the gutter!). That was all I needed.

Backpacks are fine, but if you have a lot of stuff in them take them off when you are riding the trains or buses; my friend was taking people out with his massive backpack getting on and off the train when we had to move around. it's a courtesy thing.

So the whole semi-purse bag thing isnt' looked at as "gay" in japan then I take it? (no offense whatsoever.. i live in california remember, where basically anything you do REMOTELY homosexual as in; dying hair, putting your palm out to recieve something, winking at anyone, not walking super straight, not cussing, etc. is percieved as raging flaming gay)

Just wondering about that also, because I know japan is super-not-against anything gay, and actually embraces it some.

I know i'll be labeled a foreigner; but I don't want to be labeled a tourist, if you get what I mean.

[Frankey-eh]

I know i'll be labeled a foreigner; but I don't want to be labeled a tourist, if you get what I mean.

Don't worry about that. Japanese are the biggest tourist themselves. Often tourist books warns Japanese not to appear too "touristy" in NY, or else they'll get robbed or something. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think being labelled as tourist actually have some ups. Like, they expect that, so they won't be afraid of you, and they'll try to be friendly so you won't think badly of them. It's a lot scarier when you meet a foreigner that lives in Japan...

[erbiumfiber]

There are a ton of backpacks in Tokyo. Messenger bags are slightly more popular. A lot of middle aged to older men carry hand-held pocketbooks (yes, there are a ton of pocketbooks for men over here) so you will absolutely not look gay. On the train, some people turn the backpacks around to the front.

[mediocre]

Yea manpurses are popular in japan, and so is the shoulder wearing manpurse.

Pretty much any container made of cloth is seen and accepted in tokyo.

[Henjin]

lol Good to know all this. I'm glad my 'European Carryall' will be accepted. :D

[Frankey-eh]

off topic, but if you ever decide to cross the ocean and visit China, purses that hang from your shoulder is absolute NECESSARY.

If you carry around your backpack, by the time you get home, you might find it empty.

[truce]

i remember seeing a Japanese show on otaku in Akihabara, and they interviewed some of them. they said something like, "having a backpack is essential for otaku" because they carry all the shit they buy in 'em. if you're asian, maybe people will think you're an otaku in Akiba? i dunno.

[Rogue_7]

I carried my bag all over Japan and never had anybody look at my funny, or at leat any funnier then usual!

[akitaka]

Semi-purse bag? Man-purse? Come on, now.

A shoulder bag isn't that dainty looking, is it? If I want to elaborate on what I mean, I'm speaking of them suit-case esque bags that have a strap/handle to sling around your shoulder, with the bag opposite of the strap. At least I don't feel efeminite wearing one. Anyways yeah, avoid overpacking, lest the bulges knock out the nearest local or smother them while you stand in front as they take a seat.

[h2orowe]

When I go to Japan..... I'm totally going to try and stand out. So I can totally like get a weird stare, than wink at them and raise my eyebrows.

[mediocre]

http://www.realtechnews.com/blog/wp-content/manpurse.jpg

This is a shoulder wearing manpurse.

I hear they are all the rage in Europe :rolleyes:


Not to be confused with the messenger/laptop bag, which is acceptable fashion in America

[akitaka]

Ahh those. Nevermind, then; I can't say I'd wear one because it does look a little foppish. For light loads though it looks effective. I've seen a few guys here tote them around, though...they are always skinny...:B

[PopCulturePooka]

I have one of those.
Best investment of my life.

[Sayaka]

Backpacks are heavy and carrying around all day long will cause back pain. I would put some things in a backpack and some in a bag. Shouldn't you have already mastered katakana and hiragana by now?

[Kustom]

When I go to Japan..... I'm totally going to try and stand out. So I can totally like get a weird stare, than wink at them and raise my eyebrows.

If you're going to Tokyo, you're gonna have a really hard time doing that... Right now I can't think of anything (ANYTHING) you could wear that would look even remotely strange in Tokyo. Hell I once saw a Japanese guy wearing only a shirt in the Yamanote. No later than last week, I crossed an old guy in the street in underwear... And it was raining, twas a goddamn storm!

Honestly, if you guys have never been to Japan, don't assume anything about fashion standards, seriously. It's galaxies away. For starters, there's no such thing as "looking gay" in Japan, short of same-sex french-kissing in front of a crowd. Maybe if you were dressed like Paris Hilton on a bad day (being a guy), you could get a few old people to frown at you, but chances are you won't nearly freak them out as much as their own grand-children...

[deepbluevibes]

Backpacks are heavy and carrying around all day long will cause back pain. I would put some things in a backpack and some in a bag. Shouldn't you have already mastered katakana and hiragana by now?

After just trying to learn the language, from scratch, only starting in May?

Nah. not with school and work to worry about also, as well as making films for video games, and my own lesiure too.

[Henjin]

How are you on vocab/grammar? Because it's not a secret code. You're not going to understand it just by deciphering the kana... *shrug* Seems like the important stuff will be in English anyway.

So if I walk around wearing t-shirt and jeans, will I be cool? lol 'Cause I'm so cool over here, I just want to make sure it transfers...

[akitaka]

word up, Kustom. (http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=picture&id=1680)

[hanacker]

Have backpacks ever been cool anywhere for people over the age of 12?

[deepbluevibes]

Have backpacks ever been cool anywhere for people over the age of 12?

things that were cool;

-mullets
-shredded jeans
-smoking
-doing drugs
-drinking
-body hair
-mascara on guys
-piercings
-afros
-long ponytails
-braces
-glasses

etc. etc. so at one time, i'm sure they were "cool" and this is japan we're talking about here... >.>

How are you on vocab/grammar? Because it's not a secret code. You're not going to understand it just by deciphering the kana... *shrug* Seems like the important stuff will be in English anyway.

So if I walk around wearing t-shirt and jeans, will I be cool? lol 'Cause I'm so cool over here, I just want to make sure it transfers...

Grammar I get somewhat. Vocab is probably my main problem; the language structure itself I get, that makes sense to me and i understand it pretty easily, it's just I don't have much experience with learning a lot of diff. words.

True, taking the lessons my teacher is giving me is forcing me to learn probably about 10 new words per lesson at least, and i'm looking in other books, memorizing words etc. but still i'd say right now, i have about 100 or so words memorized and that's it. -_-

[Kustom]

word up, Kustom. (http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=picture&id=1680)

Great example!
I wish I felt surprised. But I utterly lost the feeling.

[kshgosu]

This is a place where the gangsters ride around in scooters, right? I can imagine anything being cromulent after reading sites like masamania.com