150th Anniversary Commemorative School Bag Born from Sympathy for the "Philosophy Motherhouse collaborates with students to create the brand's first school product

We want to make a school bag to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Atomi Gakuen Junior and Senior High School in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, reflecting the students' voices.

The principal of Atomi Gakuen Junior and Senior High School (Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo), Masami Matsui, entrusted her idea to Motherhouse Co. Eriko Yamaguchi, the representative and chief designer of Motherhouse, who has been creating products that highlight the materials and craftsmanship of developing countries since its establishment, visited our school and spent about a year and a half creating the products, incorporating the students' ideas and opinions throughout the process. The school bag commemorating the 150th anniversary of the school's founding was completed as a result of the school's educational policy of "cultivating a rich mind through contact with the 'real thing'" and the company's "philosophy.

Key Visual

It all started with a single e-mail - How the bag was created

It was August 2023 when Principal Matsui sent an e-mail to Motherhouse asking about bag production. The reason was that he had been using Motherhouse's lightweight and durable bags, and he learned about the story of Representative Yamaguchi's company, which was introduced on a TV program.

He said, "I started judo to become stronger after being bullied as a child, and was able to make it to the top ranks at national tournaments. After entering university and interning at an international organization, he went to Bangladesh to see the reality of developing countries with his own eyes, and decided that he wanted to create a system that would enable them to become self-reliant, which led him to his current business. I was impressed by the way of life and philosophy that he has developed on his own," said Principal Matsui. He said that he asked the school to produce the 150th anniversary commemorative bag because he wanted the students to grow up to be people who can make their own choices in life, which overlaps with the school's educational policy.

In discussions with Mr. Yamaguchi, who readily agreed, the decision was made to produce a bag that would incorporate the ideas and opinions of the students, since they would be sharing the bag for the six years they would be in junior high and high school together.

Motherhouse Representative Eriko Yamaguchi (right) shows the prototype bag to the student council members and asks their opinions.

Functions and features that reflect the students' opinions

The bag should be "durable" and "lightweight" enough to be used for six years in junior high and high school, but also "cute" enough to be considered cute.

○They wanted a school bag, not a backpack.

Belt length so that the bottom of the bag does not touch the floor even if it is hung next to a desk at the junior high school.

Pockets for student organizers, iPads, water bottles, passcases, etc.

The color was navy to match the school color "shikon" (purple-blue), and the belt was prototyped in two colors, navy and brown. The prototype bag in both colors was displayed in front of the principal's office for one week, and all students voted for the best bag. The majority voted for the navy belt in the same color as the bag fabric.

Other details were also carefully considered: the bag can be worn diagonally with the attached shoulder belt, the use of metal fittings was minimized to reduce weight, and the school emblem, the cherry blossom, was elegantly stamped in silver foil on the leather. This school bag will be sold to all junior high school students entering in the 2025 school year and to current students who wish to purchase one.

The length of the belt has been adjusted so that the bottom of the bag does not touch the floor even at the height of junior high school desks.

Cherry blossom school emblem stamped in silver foil on the leather

Pockets that match the size of items carried, such as student notebooks, iPads, water bottles, etc.

The 150th anniversary commemorative school bag was designed with students' opinions in mind

Comment from Masami Matsui, Principal of Atomi Gakuen Junior and Senior High School

Eriko Yamaguchi, a designer and representative of Motherhouse, designed this school bag in discussion with the students. We hope that the students will take pride in using these bags, which they created themselves, and that they will become a part of Atomi Gakuen Junior & Senior High School's new culture.

Representative Eriko Yamaguchi (left) and Principal Masami Matsui (right) holding the completed school bag.

MOTHERHOUSE Co.,Ltd. https://www.motherhouse.co.jp/

Since its establishment in 2006, MOTHERHOUSE Co., Ltd. has been working in Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, and other developing countries. Since its establishment in 2006, the brand has been expanding its manufacturing activities in Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Myanmar, utilizing the materials and technologies of each country. The number of directly managed stores has expanded to 53, including 47 in Japan, 4 in Taiwan, and 2 in Singapore. The brand produced school bags for school supplies for the first time.

Atomi Gakuen Junior and Senior High School] https://www.atomi.ac.jp/jh/

Atomi Gakuen Junior and Senior High School for Girls is an integrated junior and senior high school for girls, which originated from Atomi Gakko (Atomi School) founded by Atomi Kanei in 1875. The school has approximately 1,400 students. The school aims to nurture women to live "dignified and flexible" lives, and its educational policy is to "cultivate a rich mind through exposure to the 'real thing'". It is the oldest private educational school for girls in Japan started by the Japanese, and will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2025. As a commemorative project, a multi-purpose building (tentative name) with a student lounge, study rooms, and interview rooms is under construction and will be completed in 2025. The school is enhancing the facilities and equipment of its school building located in the heart of Myogadani, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo.