After numerous trips to Japan, I've finally succumbed to a local trend I used to only observe: adorning my handbag with charismatic, and often oversized, bag tags and charms. It's a joyful, infectious, and deeply characteristic piece of everyday Japanese fashion.
Assorted Charms
These accessories are far more than the simple keychains we see back home. They are bold declarations of personality. The must-have Labubu plushies are currently wildly popular, but the trend covers a spectrum: from chunky silicone anime characters and rubber mascots to astonishingly large plush dolls-I once saw a full-sized teddy bear-like anime figure dangling from a commuter's bag!
Streets of Osaka
Luxury Bags, Loud Charms
It doesn't matter your walk of life or your choice of carry-all. Everyone from students to business people participates. This is where Japan's unique sense of style truly shines: a love for being "out there" and different. You might be carrying a beautiful LV Neverfull or an Hermes Evelyn, but in Japan, that bag is merely a canvas. You want to accessorize it with something that makes it yours.
A sumo wrestler with a Labubu & an Osaka Expo Attendee
Think exclusive items like the Pikachu available only at Tokyo Central Station, Myaku-Myaku, the eye-catching mascot of the recent Osaka Expo, or just a random, beloved anime character. These charms inject character and a personal story into most functional part of your ensemble. For the true enthusiasts, one is never enough-you'll often see bags rocking a curated collection of two or three tags for maximum impact. Even my trusty overseas go-to, a regular Trader Joe's tote, now proudly display its own collection!
A Collector's Paradise (and a Traveler's Tip!)
If you're looking to dive into this trend, the best advice is to buy them in Japan. The selection is a collector's dream, offering an immense array of characters, limited-edition regional exclusives, and the latest trendy anime and mascots.
Limited Edition Starbucks Shibuya Bear & USJ Spy X Family Merch
More practically, items like the collectible Labubu plushies and anime charms are often priced far more affordably in Japan-sometimes for the original blind-box price of about $10-$20 USD-compared to the marked-up prices and limited availability in the US.
When you go, make sure to visit places like:
* Tokyo Central Station Character Street for all the major mascot shops.
* Nakano Broadway or Akihabara for vast selection of anime and second-hand collectible merchandise
* Gachapon (capsule toy) machines everywhere for cheap, random, and addictive little bag tags!
* Thrift stores such as Book-Off and Hobby-Off scattered all over the country
Harajuku crowd & us strolling through Ueno
It's an accessible, fun way to bring a piece of Japanese pop-culture home and express your personality every single day. Happy hunting!
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