Little leather wallets suit the cash-free era

Small wallets and purses, mainly bifold and trifold ones, are displayed at the store in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo on March 8.. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Small is the next big thing, at least when it comes to wallets for young people.

At "Chiisana Saifu Ten" (Exhibition and sale of small wallets) held at the Katakana Jiyugaoka store in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, which sells a choice selection of accessories and sundries, shoppers were seen picking up various wallets of different materials, shapes and colors.

On display are wallets and purses made of such materials as leather and vinyl, those with or without fasteners or buttons, and even pochette types. They are available in various colors, too -- ranging from the most common colors of brown and black to white, beige and green. Fifty-seven kinds of wallets and purses from 19 different brands are on display and also on sale. The store's usual customers are mostly women in their 30s to 50s, but during the current exhibition and sale, the number of women in their 20s has increased, and even some men can be seen visiting.

This purse, measuring 9 centimeters long, holds both paper money and small coins, and can itself be put into a small bag. Its compact design has made it quite popular. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Junichi Kawano, the 52-year-old proprietor of the shop, said that the growing popularity of small wallets could be "due to an increase in the number of people who aim at a cashless-payment lifestyle, carrying the minimum necessary number of things around with them. Looking for a wallet to suit one's taste is like looking for [an expression of] oneself."

Marie Nemoto, 31, a company employee from Yokohama, who was holding a vividly colored wallet in her hand, said, "Since 4 or 5 years ago, I have come to use small items. It is good that I put only the minimum necessary items into my bag, so I carry a light load." The current exhibition and sale have been extended to April 24.

For Yamatou Co. in Taito Ward, Tokyo, which was established in 1899 as a manufacturer and seller of leather wallets and purses, sales of small wallets have been growing in recent years.

Koji Yamamoto has been making wallets and purses for more than 25 years. "I concentrate on designing easy-to-use wallets," he says. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Proprietor Koji Yamamoto, 53, who handles every stage of the work, from the cutting of the leather to sewing, said, "We have been making the wallets that are in fashion, and currently small ones are popular. I have a feeling that there has been an increase in people who attach importance to whether wallets fit in well with their lifestyle."

Yamamoto touches sheets of leather one by one, checking their thickness in Taito Ward, Tokyo on March 6. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

The open and transparent entrance of the Yamatou Co. building encourages casual browsing. It is said to welcome many visitors who want to see how the leather wallets are manufactured. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

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