What kind of wallet do you usually use? With the recent shift to cashless wallets, compact wallets are getting a lot of attention. If you want to be smart, this is a must see!
Does it have "almost all" the features you want in a compact wallet?
What exactly are the features you want in a compact wallet?
Compactness.
It's a great size that you can put in your pocket or take out with you easily.
・Easy to use
You want to be particular about the design and ease of taking out the items, because you will be using them every day.
・Capacity
Even though it's compact, you want it to have some capacity! If you can put in your cards, coins, bills, and of course your keys, everything will fit and still be smart.
There is actually a compact wallet that combines all of these functions. .
Once you've experienced it, there's no going back.
I asked Yusaku Osaka of Rakukei Works, the creator of the new standard SMART MOVE, which is neither a wallet nor a key case with such a catchphrase, about the charm of the compact wallet and the secret behind its creation.
All new sensation! Functions and features of SMART MOVE!
Compact enough to fit in a denim pocket
First of all, the size of this thing! It's hard to believe it holds all of my money, cards, and keys!
SMART MOVE! can hold about two smart keys, three analog keys, and seven pieces of money and cards.
That's quite a lot of capacity for a bag this size! This would easily fit in anyone's pocket.
That's right! I wanted to make it a size that would fit in a denim pocket, so I stuck to a 10cm square. .
Anyway, I designed it with the concept of keeping only the necessary functions. By doing so, I was able to reduce the thickness of SMART MOVE! to 2.5 cm.
The SMART MOVE! is an aesthetics of smartness, with its thickness reduced to the last possible edge while retaining usability.
An unconventional "X-shaped structure" that achieves "almost everything".
I think one of the features of the SMART MOVE! is its X-shaped structure. This feature has turned the whole concept of wallets on its head!
The X-shaped structure is a function that makes four pockets by sewing one in the center. After more than 30 prototypes, I was finally able to create the ideal wallet that can hold "almost everything".
I thought the idea of the X-shaped structure was like an invention! What are the features?
The X-shaped structure allows you to store your smart keys in the two ends, which are normally useless, while the middle part has enough room for bills, cards, and parking tickets.
There's absolutely no wasted space to store them!
I was able to obtain a patent for the X-shaped structure within a year of filing. I think it proved to be an idea that had never existed before.
"Smart Snap" for easy storage and removal of the smart key.
What is the function of Smart Snap?
It is a leather strap with a snap button that is threaded through a hole in the central partition created by the X-shaped structure.
The leather strap of the smart snap is the right length so that the smart key can fit perfectly.
So all items are in the best position! What are some of the ingenious points you made in Smart Snap?
Leather straps are not sewn on and slide freely, making them easy to insert and remove.
It doesn't take much time to remove it, and it's smoother too.
It can hold three analog keys!? A beautiful storage "Flap Pocket" created by craftsmanship.
Analog keys can be stored in the Flap Pocket on the outside.
It can even hold analog keys! I'm amazed that the thickness doesn't bother me even if it holds three keys! Did you go through a lot of trouble to make it?
That's right. We had a hard time selecting the right hardware to fit the key perfectly. But in the end, thanks to the wisdom of our ancestors and common hardware, I was able to complete the Flat Pocket.
So much trial and error went into even one small piece of hardware!
The resulting flat pocket is designed to hold keys beautifully, not only by fitting them perfectly but also by preventing the surface from becoming uneven.
After talking with them, I realized that every part of this compact wallet is filled with the attention to detail of "Rakukei Works"!
Countless hours of trial and error have resulted in unparalleled ease of use and beauty!
The "Three Smarts" made possible by SMART MOVE!
I'll tell you about the "Three Smarts" that were made possible by the completion of the SMART MOVE!.
・Smart Quantity
A wallet and key case in one, making it easier to carry around.
・Smart Time
You will spend less time looking for things and forgetting things before you go out, which will make your time smarter.
・Smart Gestures
No more wasted functions, no more hesitation in movement, and smarter gestures.
SMART MOVE!, It's wonderful how one item can change our life!
How did the world's first compact wallet that can hold "almost everything" come to be?
Yusaku Osaka's profile.
Born in Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto.
Since his ancestors and relatives were painters, potters, and calligraphers, he was familiar with the crafts and art of Kyoto from an early age. After graduating from university, he worked in the development of cultural facilities such as museums, and over the past 25 years, he has been in charge of many facilities in Japan and abroad, interacting with many creators and artists. Inspired by them, he established Rakukei Works in 2014 with a desire to "return to my hometown and create something with my own hand"s.
Please tell us what inspired you to create SMART MOVE!
To reduce belongings in daily life!?
I was bothered by the amount of stuff I had to carry when I went out for a bit. Driver's license, keys, coins....The key to my house was a smart key, so I had a lot of trouble keeping my belongings together.
I also tend to forget or look for them when I go out.
When you have only one thing to carry, going out becomes easier. SMART MOVE! is based on my desire to make the necessities of going out easier.
I think there are a lot of people who are looking for a key case like this!
Mr. Osaka's passion and ideas have taken shape.
Another reason is that I have always had the desire to make things with my own hands and have explored my interests and concerns to the fullest. MART MOVE! is the direct result of my thoughts.
Osaka's thoughts and feelings were reflected in every detail of the work.
That's right. It was probably a good thing that by eliminating waste in the way things were done, I was able to concentrate on just what I wanted to do, which was create.
The fact that there is no waste in terms of functions and usability may have been an important point in the conceptualization from the production stage.
SMART MOVE to focus on quality and cost!
Choosing the right leather
The leather of SMART MOVE! is very comfortable in your hands. What kind of material is it?
The main material is shrink leather made in Himeji, Japan. It is a material that leather lovers will understand. The point is that it is moist and comfortable in the hand and has a soft and fluffy touch.
The leather it's made of looks really soft!
By carefully tailoring the items without waste, SMART MOVE! allows you to enjoy a beautiful, solid form and a soft touch.
You've chosen your materials with the finished look in mind. We're going to enjoy beautifying ours over time!
"Quality is good, Cost is low.
SMART MOVE! focuses not only on function and design, but also on cost performance.
What does it mean to reduce costs without changing quality?
For example, the X-shaped structure creates four pockets with just one stitch. I was conscious of cutting costs as much as possible by subtracting the length and quantity of stitches while improving the quality of the function and design.
Function, design, cost, everything has been thoroughly thought out and created! It's really amazing!
Rakukei Works expresses Kyoto with colors.
Rakukei Works Ltd.
Under the theme of "Scenes from Kyoto," Rakukei Works develops new products from Kyoto that fit in with modern life while utilizing the "techniques" and "spirit" that Kyoto has passed down from generation to generation.In 2016, Rakukei Works opened a directly-managed store, "time dou cafe," in Karasuma-Marutamachi, Kyoto, along a street overlooking the Kyoto Imperial Palace, as a place to communicate the value of its craftsmanship.
Expressing the Color Scene of Kyoto
For Rakukei Works, color is not just a color variation, but a "story of color".
How did you come to describe Kyoto in color?
I thought Kyoto is a city with a lot of colors in each scene such as nature, temples and shrines, sweets, festivals, and meals. From there, I wondered if it would be possible to convey these scenes and products in color.
How wonderful to express a scene with colors! Kyoto has a long history, so I guess they use traditional and old-fashioned colors to tell their story!
This is not necessarily so. I expressed the colors of modern Japan and present Kyoto in colors that are not found in traditional Japanese colors.
You're conveying the Kyoto of today in colors! By the way, how many colors are there?
I have 72 colors, including the ones I haven't announced.
So many! Do you have names and scenes in mind for all those colors?
That's right. The order is I think of the scene and name, then decide on the colors.
So you start thinking in terms of color stories! Where do you get your ideas from?
In some cases, the names are classical Japanese poems, and in other cases they are based on scenes that unfold daily in Kyoto. The background and origin of each name is also explained, so I hope you will pay attention not only to the colors but also to the "names of colors" and "stories of colors"!
The most important thing is the color of the heart.
When you describe Kyoto in color, do you mean the scenery you are looking at as color?
Of course, I want to express the physical scenery in color, but I also want to deliver the color of my heart that I felt that day.
For example, I think that people have different feelings and memories about even a single view of the Evening Star. In Kyoto, you can often see it from the banks of the Kamo River, but even the same view can look different depending on where it is viewed and by whom.
Even the same scenery can look different now and then. It's wonderful that you're reflecting those memories in your colors!
I believe that colors have the power to bring back memories. I would like to deliver such a way of enjoying colors in my works.
It's so profound how the same color can make different people feel different things!
Not a wallet, not a key case, but a new classic!
Almost everything in one compact package, SMART MOVE!
SMART MOVE! for smarter storage, time and gestures! The "colors" that reflect the scenery of Kyoto are also attractive. A total of 10 colors are available.
RAKUKEI
Continuing the challenge of creating new products in my hometown of Kyoto
Why make products in Kyoto?
Mr. Osaka has started manufacturing in Kyoto, a dream of his since he was young. Finally, I asked him about his thoughts on manufacturing in his hometown, Kyoto.
Why did you choose to make your products in Kyoto?
There are two reasons. The first is that I see the potential of Kyoto to transmit Japanese manufacturing to the world. The center of Japan is Tokyo, but from the world's perspective, Japan is Kyoto.Therefore, I think it is meaningful to transmit manufacturing from Kyoto to people around the world.
The other reason is that Kyoto has a good environment for manufacturing. For a long time, everything from procurement of materials and ingredients to production and sales could be done in Kyoto Prefecture. Even today, there are many people who are still making things, and many of them are creatively developing new things. I would like to create new products together with the people who are trying to make things in Kyoto every day.
Maybe it's because you're in Kyoto that you get to try your hand at making something new!
Summary
"I've been looking for a compact wallet like this!" = SMART MOVE! Perhaps it is because Rakukei Works is located in Kyoto that they were able to create this new product. I can't wait to see what kind of "world firsts" they will come up with next!
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*These products may not be able to be shipped to certain countries. Please see the retailer's website for more information.
The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.