In Japan almost of every students go to primary ( grade ) school carrying this knapsack with back straps.
As he knew that he would go to the primary school on next April he wanted his own knapsack like this.
"When can I buy my knapsack?"
"We will buy it when we will go to Chigasaki city."
As we promised we bought this knapsack at the shop in Chigasaki.
Long time ago we had only 2 types, black one for boys and red one for girls, but they have many kinds of color of this knapsack in these days.
But we were able to make a dicision soon because my son wanted black one.
He looks very happy with his own brand-new knapsack now.
We call this "Randoseru" in Japanese, but how can we call this in English?
Maybe they don't have this bag in the foreign countries, right?
Yuuki looks so happy with his Randoseru, and it is a pleasure to see him.
I think you have found the closest word, knapsack, in English, for Randoseru. Another word some people use is backpack, but that is often used for bigger packs that people use for traveling or hiking overnight and camping, as well as for any pack carried on the back, big or small.
What a pleasure to see Yuuki so excited to start his school life :-) Please give him our regards if he remembers us.
Posted by: Jessica | 01/18/2011 at 06:08
Hello, Jessica!
Thank you for your comment and good answer!!
I found there is no right word for Randoseru in the foreign countries, because they don't have it except in Japan.
But, when I explain this I am going to use the word, knapsack, or sometimes backpack.
I'm telling my son about you, but I don't know if he remembers you. Because he was a very small when he met you.
Thank you very much again.
Posted by: Mr. Yamamoto | 01/18/2011 at 08:03