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Beautiful bag designed by leather craftsman specially for carrying watermelons is a work of art

Dale Roll Aug 16, 2020
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You might think it’s dumb, but after watching the “how it’s made” video, you just might want one after all!

It’s summer time, and you know what that means–it’s time for eating watermelon on the beach! At least, in Japan it is. But watermelons are big, bulky, and heavy, so they’re sort of a pain to carry on the train, right? Good thing Tokyo leatherworking company Tsuchiya Bag Co., the company that brought us classy randoseru backpacks for adults, has designed a leather bag specifically for carrying a watermelon.

Sadly, it’s not actually for sale; it’s for display only. In fact, this bag is a work of art designed by professional leather worker Yusuke Kadoi as part of Tsuchiya’s “Fun of Carrying” artistic initiative, in which leather craftsmen were asked to design a bag to specifically carry something of their choosing. Kadoi chose a watermelon, and you can watch him making his bag in the video below.

From cutting the leather into the different shapes needed, to smoothing out the edges, sewing the panels together, fastening the handle and the metal parts, and attaching the interior lining, every step is documented in the video. It’s very interesting to see how the pieces all come together to make a perfectly round bag!

The best part is watching Kadoi insert the watermelon into the bag. The bag was carefully designed to perfectly fit the circumference of the watermelon. Its opening widens to make room for the fruit, and then can be clipped closed to tighten around it, snugly holding the watermelon in its carrying case.

Everything about this bag was carefully crafted with a purpose, from the eight panels, which were carefully measured, cut, and sewn together so that they made a circle that fit the watermelon exactly, to the handle, which is tall enough to give plenty of room for a hand to close around it with a watermelon inside, and which is designed to be comfortable even when carrying a heavy object.

Even the materials were carefully chosen. The bag is made of high quality Italian Vaqueta leather, while the interior is lined with suede made from pig skin. Both ingredients were chosen for their durability and flexibility, which would be necessary for carrying a heavy object like a watermelon.

All of the careful planning that went into the design of this bag is another testament to the immense skill of Japanese craftsmen, who make beautiful, high-quality hand-crafted items like glassware and kitchen knives every day. This bag is the first installment of the “Fun of Carrying” series, so we can expect more playful works of leather art in the near future. In the meantime, if you want to see this bag for yourself, you can find it on display at Tsuchiya’s Shibuya and Roppongi shops in Tokyo.

Related: Tsuchiya Bag Co.
Source: Netlab, Tsuchiya Bag Co.
Top image: Tsuchiya Bag Co.
Insert images: Tsuchiya Bag Co., YouTube/Tsuchiya Kaban
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