To carry
A gamaguchi is a small leather pouch that closes with a spring metal frame rather than a zip or a stud. Kanmi makes its version in Asakusa, Tokyo, in two forms: a pouch with an adjustable wrist strap, and a necklace purse on a leather cord.
At a glance
Maker: Kanmi
Place: Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan
Material: Cowhide leather, brass frame clasp, cotton-linen lining
Body: Approximately 6 x 6.8 cm, clasp 5 cm wide
Formats: Adjustable leather strap, or a leather cord worn as a necklace
What is a gamaguchi clasp?
Gamaguchi means frog mouth, after the way the metal frame opens wide and springs shut. Two ball catches meet at the top of the pouch. Press them together with a thumb and the frame parts. Let go and it closes on its own, with a small click that is more felt than heard.
The form is old and practical rather than decorative. It keeps a pouch open with both hands free, which is useful for anything you want to find quickly without digging.
Pouch or necklace purse: what is the difference?
Both versions share the same leather body, brass frame and pale woven lining. What changes is how they are carried. The Japanese Leather Clasp Coin Purse has a flat leather strap that unclips at both ends and adjusts, so it can sit on the wrist, be carried in the hand, or come off entirely. The Japanese Leather Necklace Purse hangs instead from a fine cord of undyed leather, worn at the neck.
Choose the pouch for a small bag-within-a-bag that comes on and off the wrist. Choose the necklace purse for something you want against you without a bag at all, useful for travel, a festival, or a coat with no real pockets.
What fits inside?
The inside measures approximately 4.7 x 6 cm, so this is a pouch for coins, a folded note, wireless earphones or a couple of small keys, not a phone or a full set of cards. The pale lining makes small objects easy to see rather than lost against dark leather.
How does the leather change with use?
A tree is pressed into one side of each pouch, left plain on the other, so the leather itself is doing the visible work. Cowhide keeps its own grain and tonal variation from one piece to the next, and it will soften and darken fastest where a hand goes most often. Wipe it gently with a soft, dry cloth, and keep it away from prolonged moisture, heat and strong sunlight.
Who makes it?
Kanmi began in a home studio in Asakusa, an area of Tokyo long associated with leatherworking. For more than twenty years the studio has made practical leather goods with quiet, recognisable details, made to be used often rather than kept for best.
Is the necklace purse only for going out?
No. It is light enough to wear under a coat or scarf for daily use, not only for evenings.
Can the strap be removed from the wrist pouch?
Yes. The leather strap unclips at both ends, so the pouch can be carried without it.
Will the two colours match if I buy both?
Each piece is dyed and finished individually, so small differences in tone are normal between pieces, even in the same colourway.