Iconic Japanese Bag Maker Yoshida Marks 90 Years of Durable, Innovative Design

By Mayu Yamamoto / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

11:00 JST, January 23, 2026

Tokyo-based bag maker Yoshida & Co., known as “Yoshida Kaban,” celebrated its 90th anniversary last year. In November, the company held an exhibition in Tokyo showcasing bags that represent the brand’s origins. With its strengths in durable construction for long-term use and designs adapted to the times, it has garnered support both in Japan and abroad.

Founder Kichizo Yoshida (1906–1994) began working at a bag workshop at age 12. When he experienced the Great Kanto Earthquake at 17, he tied his belongings up with a rope, slung it over his shoulder and carried them with him. This experience led him to believe that “a bag is first and foremost a tool for carrying things.”

In 1935, he established Yoshida Kaban Seisakujo (Yoshida bag factory) and produced numerous hand-sewn pieces. The Red Roof Bag, displayed at the exhibition, was inspired by a souvenir from Hawaii. The Elegant Bag, released in 1953, featured a side zipper allowing expansion of the bag’s gusset width. In the postwar years, as apartment complexes and other collective housing increased, its compact design and efficient storage became highly valued.

Yoshida established his own brand, Porter. Under this brand name, the company released the Tanker series, which used fabric developed based on the U.S. Air Force MA-1 flight jacket, in 1983. The nylon fabric with interlocking padding is lightweight and durable, but difficult to sew by machine, requiring advanced craftsmanship. It has become a popular series that is Porter’s signature, with 40 standard styles alone, including backpacks and briefcases.

The founder’s motto was “Isshin Nyukon” (Putting soul into every stitch). This means never cutting corners in any process, from material selection to design and sewing. This spirit continues today, harmonizing tradition and innovation while always taking on new challenges in manufacturing.

The Tanker series underwent a material overhaul in 2024, switching to 100% plant-based nylon with a lower environmental impact. Collaborating with Toray Industries, Inc., they also achieved the world’s first mass production of this material.

The brand actively pursues collaborations with diverse global and domestic brands. Products often see fierce demand upon release. Last year, for its 90th anniversary, it collaborated with partners such as Danish fashion brand Cecilie Bahnsen and British electronics giant Dyson.

The company is committed to “Made in Japan,” so sewing and other processes are handled by artisans in workshops in Japan. Their designs pursuing functional beauty attract many people. “We want to continue providing good bags that can be used for a long time, together with our artisans,” said President Yukihiro Yoshida.