How ‘painful bag’ becomes popular subculture, fashion trend, especially among China youth

2026.03.21 01:20 The ita bag accesory trend is a captivating subculture that has gained popularity worldwide, especially among young people in China. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote/Douyin/IG@lalalalisa_m Chinese youth are enthusiastically adopting Japan’s “ita bag” fashion accessory style to showcase their admiration for beloved anime and real-life idols, elevating the culture with their imaginative designs. On China’s popular lifestyle-sharing platform, RedNote, the hashtag #tongbao, which means “painful bag” (the Chinese translation of ita bag), boasts 2.3 billion views. Originating in Japan around the 2010s, the “ita bag” refers to bags adorned with plushies, badges, or small cards representing the owner’s favourite anime characters. The arrangement of these items, officially termed as “goods,” is often so extravagantly filled that it creates a visually overwhelming effect, hence the name “ita bag.” Fans can transform a standard bag into an ita bag by embellishing it with various decorative items known as “goods.” Photo: Handout The term “ita” in Japanese suggests an implication of “awkwardness,” indicating that owners might feel a sense of embarrassment while openly displaying their passion in public. Another interpretation is that the goods, especially the trendy ones, can be prohibitively expensive, meaning owners may spend a painful amount on them. Among anime aficionados, it is a well-known fact that, relative to the goods, the cost of the bags themselves is negligible. Limited-edition items can soar in price to nearly 100,000 yuan (US$14,000). Fans can transform a standard bag into an ita bag by embellishing it with goods. Alternatively, they can purchase specially designed ita bags featuring “windows” made of transparent vinyl panels to display and protect their prized possessions. These bags range in price from a few dozen yuan (a few US dollars) to several hundred yuan. A popular design technique involves acquiring multiple badges of the same design and n

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