Thirteen Compact Wallets From ¥2,400 to Hermès: Shunsuke Ishikawa's Picks by Budget

Open on YouTube ↗
Overview

Fashion designer Shunsuke Ishikawa opens with a claim: people notice your wallet, and of all accessories it reveals the most about your character. Since cash is used less and bags keep shrinking, even for men, Ishikawa argues that a compact wallet now makes the most sense. They present 13 wallets they have bought and used, grouped by budget from about ¥2,000 up to roughly ¥500,000. For each one, Ishikawa covers how it is built, what it is like to use, where it falls short, and what impression they think it gives other people.

18 min read

The episode was timed for Ichiryū Manbai-bi, a day considered lucky for money in Japan, and for bonus season. Ishikawa suggests a wallet is an obvious way to spend a bonus. They also note that nylon and similar materials are lighter and more practical if compactness is the only goal. A leather wallet is the choice if you want to carry something nice, and the lucky-day framing is part of why they wanted to cover leather.

¥2,000 Budget: Montbell Trail Wallet (¥2,400)

Ishikawa calls the Montbell Trail Wallet "a masterpiece among masterpieces." A friend showed it to them, and they were struck by how compact it was. It is a nylon trifold with three card slots. Each slot takes about two cards, so it holds around six in total, plus a dozen or so bills. A zippered coin pocket can also hold an AirTag or a card-type tracker, which Ishikawa says they often use in wallets.

Ishikawa puts the weight at around 15 grams. It slips easily into a pocket, and they reach for it when they want to go out as light as possible or travel abroad. At ¥2,400, they say, you could decide this is all the wallet you need. In their view it signals someone financially sensible, with a minimalist or outdoorsy sensibility.

They name two drawbacks. It is so small that it gets lost inside a bag. It also seems to be out of stock often, so their advice is to buy it when you see it.

¥3,000 Budget: coruri BASIC (¥3,190)

The next pick answers the Montbell's lost-in-the-bag problem. Ishikawa chose the coruri BASIC in bright yellow so it is easy to spot. They add that yellow is said to be good for money luck in feng shui, which fits the day's theme.

Ishikawa thinks it is a step up from the Montbell in usability. It has a large coin pocket with a black snap and a side opening that spreads wide. Inside is a small pocket, apparently meant for a key, that happens to fit an AirTag. The card slots hold only about two cards, but there is a cutout for pushing cards up with a finger. The bill compartment has two sections, so you can split receipts from bills, or dollars from yen when traveling.

Ishikawa particularly likes the D-ring. You can hang a key from it and go out with just the wallet and a phone. You can also attach a wallet chain, or one of the key-leash cords some bags now have, to guard against theft. That makes it a strong travel wallet in their view. They read it as the wallet of a level-headed, rational person.

Their one complaint is that the core material is very stiff, stiff enough that they wonder whether it was deliberate, though they allow the stiffness might prove useful over time. They add that on an item this small, a loud primary color works fine for casual use.

¥5,000 Budget: SITUS Tokyo Minimalist Wallet (¥6,930)

Ishikawa defines this tier as roughly ¥4,000 to ¥7,999. Their first pick uses Tyvek, which they describe as a polyethylene non-woven fabric originally made by DuPont. It is well known among ultralight gear fans because it is durable. The wallet is sold at places like the MoMA Design Store and comes in several colors. Ishikawa chose an olive-gray one.

Empty, it is slightly shorter and narrower than the Montbell. It is much thicker, though, because the Tyvek is layered "like a mille-feuille." Opening the snap reveals accordion-folded card slots, five of them, each holding about two cards. The innermost fold has no side opening and is hard to get into, so Ishikawa suggests keeping something you rarely remove there, such as a card-type tracker. What they like most is that the accordion opens with a gap for your finger, so cards are very easy to grab. It also has a coin pocket that opens wide.

The drawback is thickness: adding money and cards makes it bulge further. Still, they call it a wallet you can put in your pocket and go. They think it comes across as design-conscious, even a little creator-like.

¥5,000 Budget: SHIPS Colors Leather Wallet (¥4,950)

In the same tier, and cheaper, Ishikawa found a leather wallet from SHIPS Colors. They call the price shocking. It has a large snap coin pocket. The one real aesthetic flaw, in their view, is the brown grosgrain fabric lining, which they say looks like an old man's long wallet.

They say the leather quality is not bad at all. It has a moist, supple feel, good enough that you could decide it is perfectly fine. Inside the bill compartment are six card slots in two tiers, and there is plenty of room for bills. Their overall verdict is that it is very well made for ¥4,950. As a joke, they suggest adding some white stitching to dress it up. Their co-host objects to modifying a product already on sale.

¥10,000 Budget: Comme des Garçons Wallet L-Zip Classic (¥15,950)

Ishikawa sets this tier at roughly ¥8,000 to ¥17,999, where leather is fully within reach. They call the Comme des Garçons L-zip wallet another masterpiece. It is made from a single piece of leather with no lining and closes with an L-shaped zipper. Bills are folded to go in, and one inner pocket serves for both cards and coins.

This comes from long personal use. Ishikawa says they have used one for more than ten years and that it has held up well because the leather is thick. The design is plain, with nothing on it, yet people who know can recognize it as Garçons at a glance. Ishikawa thinks that is enough. Because it is so minimal, it goes with any outfit, including a suit. They say owning one suggests you understand fashion without being obsessed with wallets, and they call it an ultra-staple in the fashion world. The line is made continuously in several colors, including silver, and in several sizes, so they suggest visiting a Garçons store to choose one.

¥10,000 Budget: usfl mini (¥14,400)

The second pick in this tier comes with a story. Ishikawa owned an earlier usfl mini in Russian calf and loved it. Before it could break in, it was stolen at a Starbucks abroad. They had left their pouch to hold a seat while buying an iced latte, assuming they were in a safe country. They only noticed the next day that the wallet was gone. They know it was taken at the Starbucks because they had just shown ID from that wallet at a phone shop.

The version shown here uses vegetable-tanned leather from an Italian tannery. Ishikawa expects it to flatten, soften, and develop character with use. The construction differs from the others. Bills are not slid into a sleeve; you tuck them in and their edges are held in place, which makes putting bills in a little awkward. Cards and coins share one divider panel inside. Ishikawa warns that if you open it carelessly, things fall out, and says they have dropped cards several times. You have to hold the panel down as you open it. They explain the trade-off: this design uses fewer pieces of leather, which keeps the wallet compact even with thick leather.

Ishikawa loved how small it is. They admit they would be happier if usfl made it again in Russian calf or a more exotic leather, and would buy one if that happened. They mention that the wallets sell out, possibly because they are made in limited runs, and that a cordovan version exists.

¥20,000 Budget: PORTER / CAPSULE Wallet (¥18,700)

This tier runs from ¥18,000 to about ¥26,999. The pick is the Porter Capsule wallet. Ishikawa says it is barely a compact wallet anymore and is closer to a pouch. Both hosts react to the price having risen to ¥18,700. Ishikawa remembers using Porter wallets in high school, including an L-zip model that may now be discontinued and an olive-green one.

The appeal is capacity and carrying options. A strap lets you hang the wallet from a phone's D-ring together with keys, so it can be the only thing you carry. It opens from both sides, like a bag, and each side has a bill compartment, so you can separate two currencies or keep receipts on one side. There are four card slots of about two cards each, a Velcro coin pocket outside, and an inner pocket that Ishikawa guesses is for keys. It is too small for cards but holds an AirPods case, which the hosts agree is hard to find a place for.

Ishikawa adds that Porter goes over well abroad as a symbol of Japanese street culture, in the West and especially in Southeast Asia. They think carrying one for a street look works well.

¥30,000 Budget: Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Money Clip (¥35,200)

This tier runs from about ¥27,000 to ¥39,999, where proper leather wallets and some brand-name pieces become affordable. Ishikawa's high-brand pick is a leather Bottega Veneta money clip with a magnetic closure, which they say they use a lot. They address the obvious worry about the magnet. With twenty bills folded in half, the bills spring back and the magnet seems to lift. With around fifteen, it closes firmly and feels secure.

They use it because they have been carrying very small bags. Once a phone and a few small things are inside, a regular wallet no longer fits, but the money clip slides in. The bag itself has card slots, so the clip only carries a little cash for reassurance. Ishikawa connects this to an old habit: when young and, as they put it, "totally America-obsessed," they saw people in the U.S. clipping dollars and bought silver Native American–style money clips. They think a money clip gives a worldly, American-influenced, sharp look. They also point out that a Bottega for under ¥40,000 makes a good gift, and it comes nicely boxed.

¥30,000 Budget: forme Post Wallet (¥33,000)

Ishikawa calls this one of the top picks of the whole episode. forme is the shoe brand whose loafers and plain-toes the channel has featured before. The wallet shown has embossed Italian calf outside and, apparently, horsehide lining. Ishikawa says the construction surprised them.

What stands out most is the edge paint (coba). Ishikawa says no Japanese brand does edge paint this beautifully. With foreign brands, they argue, beautiful edge paint is a big part of what makes an item look expensive. It is applied thickly, even at some risk of peeling, using materials from specific foreign suppliers. Ishikawa says forme has done it properly, and that this alone adds a lot of luxury. The stitching is clean too.

On function, they find nothing to fault. The top of the bill compartment is open, so bills go in and out smoothly. There are two neatly made card slots, and the snap sits on a tab so cards don't catch on it. The coin pocket has no snap and opens wide on an accordion gusset. Ishikawa calls the price highly convincing and says a high brand at the same budget would look like the money clip instead. A cordovan version is available if you stretch to the ¥50,000 tier. They think it suits anyone, especially people in their 20s and 30s, though 40s is fine too, and that it gives an intelligent impression of someone who owns a proper wallet.

¥50,000 Budget: LEMAIRE Gear Trifold Leather Wallet in Glossy Vegetable Leather

Here Ishikawa says foreign brands come into range. They note that LEMAIRE's small leather goods have become popular. The wallet is thick and holds a lot. It has a large, wide-opening coin pocket, and a bill compartment and card slots behind it. Unlike the SHIPS Colors wallet, it is lined with leather rather than grosgrain, in an elegant brown matching the coin pocket, which Ishikawa takes as a sign of care. There is an exterior card slot for a transit card, and the edges are cleanly finished. They see it as strong on design and suggest it as a gift for a boyfriend.

The exterior slot sets off a tangent. Many people still take out transit cards or tap them while visible, and Ishikawa wishes JR would issue an all-black Suica, perhaps with a small black penguin engraved, or even a silver one. They say the standard green is, sorry to say, a bit uncool, and they cite all-black tissue boxes, which they attribute to Seven-Eleven, as a precedent. They half-jokingly ask anyone at JR who watches to consider it.

An Aside on Leather: Why MARKAWARE Has Held Off

The phrase "glossy vegetable leather" leads Ishikawa into a longer explanation. They say MARKAWARE has barely made leather products. The reason is a friend, a tanner they have spent New Year's with for about four years. According to Ishikawa, this friend is preparing a new business developing what the friend aims to be the most environmentally friendly tanning method yet, including developing and testing the chemicals. Ishikawa decided to wait for that leather before making leather goods at MARKAWARE.

They pass on something the tanner taught them. Most leather, they say, does not use the grain surface as it is. Full-grain leathers such as nume use the natural surface. In many cases, though, the surface is buffed to raise a faint nap, close to a nubuck state. Ishikawa explains why: hides carry scars and vein marks from the animal's life, which show if the surface is left as is. After buffing for durability, the leather is embossed and set with resin or oil, and Ishikawa says most leathers go through this. According to them, makers often don't know this unless the tanner tells them. So for a leather jacket they are working on, they asked the tanner to use full grain. The co-host is surprised to hear about the jacket, and Ishikawa declines to say more.

¥100,000 Budget: THE ROW Zipped Wallet (¥81,400)

At this level, Ishikawa says, you want a high-brand wallet, and ¥100,000 still buys one. THE ROW's zipped wallet is essentially a card holder. Four cards fit on the front, and an L-zip opens onto a space that works as a coin pocket, where Ishikawa keeps cash folded in thirds. With about five folded bills it stays thin enough for a small bag. Ishikawa is also fond of its hanging strap. They compare it to a miniature money-collection pouch and carry it with keys on a keychain and a phone in their pocket for casual outings.

The leather has a smooth, slightly resin-treated feel, and Ishikawa guesses it has been treated somehow. It scratches very easily and gets scuffed if thrown in a bag with other things. Ishikawa raises "the ¥80,000 question" and says it would be great at ¥30,000. Even so, they praise the design as effortlessly simple with a clever, playful touch. They credit THE ROW's designers, saying well-known shoe and womenswear designers work there. They also mention hearing that investment has come from Chanel and from L'Oréal or another cosmetics company, and describe the brand as walking "the royal road of luxury."

¥100,000 Budget: Bottega Veneta Cassette Bifold Wallet With Coin Purse (¥105,600)

Ishikawa notes this wallet seemed to cost under ¥100,000 not long ago and has now crossed that line. In their account, the oversized "Cassette" version of Bottega's Intrecciato weave, from the Daniel Lee era, suddenly made the brand modern and gave it an image young people could carry. They have used several bags from the line and find it more modern and cooler than the regular Intrecciato.

This model has four card slots plus another section, holding about six cards in total, and a fairly large coin pocket. Other Cassette wallets exist, including a thicker one with an internal zipped coin pocket, but Ishikawa considers this simple type the most usable. They praise the construction, especially the clean transition in thickness and how neatly the bill compartment opens. They make a direct comparison: they would rather spend ¥100,000 on this than ¥80,000 on THE ROW's wallet, because this feels more worth the money. They acknowledge it is expensive but think the value is there.

¥500,000 Budget: Hermès Azap Vertical

The last pick is what Ishikawa considers about the top of the compact-wallet category. They say they don't know the current retail price and estimate somewhere from the ¥400,000s to around ¥500,000. It is larger than the others but was originally a compact size. It has a U-shaped zipper, four card slots with cards on both sides, and one bill compartment. Ishikawa notes it costs about as much as a typical luxury brand's bag.

Ishikawa says many business owners and executives around them carry this wallet, so it tends to make people wonder whether you are an executive. Beyond it, in their view, only exotic-leather wallets remain, so this is roughly where the category tops out.

Why Ishikawa Keeps Returning to Bottega and THE ROW

After the lineup, the co-host asks why Ishikawa's high-end picks keep coming back to Bottega Veneta and THE ROW. Is it that other brands in the ¥100,000 range don't make many good-looking wallets? Ishikawa agrees they don't much want most of what is out there. What they want is a well-made wallet in really good leather, and a domestic one would be fine. If a brand like forme used truly great leather, they say, they would want it even at around ¥100,000. But good leather is hard to source now, so such wallets are rare. They rarely find one that grabs them and keep ending up with THE ROW for its design cleverness and Bottega for its build quality.

Ishikawa says they looked at a great many wallets for this episode and still found few they liked. forme was the big discovery. Their one-line takeaway is to "keep your wallet small and smart." They leave the rest to viewers: which of the 13 appealed to them, and which compact wallets from other brands they would recommend.