Ultra-Thin Long Wallets from Japanese Bag Craftsmen ATAO

Last update : 13 Dec 2017

Written by Malimo

Have you heard of the long wallets sold by the Kobe-based brand ATAO?
The brand has few physical retail outlets, so it may not be a highly recognized name brand. However, ATAO is known for products that are so easy to use that you won’t want to let go of them, so many of their products have to be ordered in advance if you want to get them!

This soft long wallet, created by bag craftsmen, is surprisingly thin. As each individual wallet is hand-crafted, they cannot be mass produced. The price of these wallets range from 24,000 yen to 32,000 yen (before tax).

I wavered over buying one for 5 years, but I finally did it!

limo gloss python

This wallet is sold in-store only and has a glossy python skin pattern. Its color is brown.
It measures 9.5 centimeters by 20 centimeters, and weighs around 140 grams.

One of ATAO's brand features is this gold plate. It certainly imbues the product with a sense of quality.

The grip on the python wallet’s zipper is also gold.

It is very easy to open!

The Remarkable Thinness of ATAO’s Long Wallet

Here I compared the wallet’s thinness to a notebook. It is surprisingly thin!

Even lining it up against a smartphone, it still is incredibly thin!

Here I compared it with the wallet I had been using prior to this. What’s with this crazy thin wallet?!

The Secret to Its Thinness and Ease of Use is in the Change Purse!

The wallet’s interior is very simple.
At a glance, it looks like this wallet doesn’t have a change purse, but….

There! This middle pocket is the change purse. There is no zipper!

This is the main feature of ATAO’s wallet that I’ve pined after for so long!
There are 10 card pockets in total.

The soft, supple material is also great!

Since I just purchased it, the python scales are standing up slightly and feel a bit dry to the touch. However, the more you use it the more familiar you get with the texture, and you end up getting very attached to it. I look forward to that!

Here I tried storing what usually goes in my wallet in this new one.
I store a variety of things in my wallet, like cards, gift certificates, and accessories.

Since the wallet itself is already extremely thin, it keeps a sharp look about it even when you put your cards in.

Here is the change purse. There may be no zipper, but thanks to the great length of the pocket the coins do not fall out!

Even large receipts fit in comfortably.

Here is the wallet when it has money and cards inside compared to a notebook.

I even just barely managed to fit my bank book and smartphone in too!

Here it is with my smartphone inside. It feels nice with a bit of plump thickness to it.
Since it is made by bag craftsmen, you can rest easy about its durability.

Here is the thickness with my smartphone inside!

Impressions After Using ATAO’s Long Wallet for a Month

When I bought my wallet, the clerk told me, “When you stroke it, the scales will adapt to being touched, and the texture will change,” so I stroked the wallet every day. A month has passed since I purchased it, and the texture certainly has changed a lot!

The entire wallet feels even softer, and the dry-feeling scales smoothed out. It also hasn’t shed a single scale.

Incidentally, the reason I chose brown for this wallet is because the clerk had used this same one for 2 years already, and the depth that it got after those years of use was just lovely! It is just amazing that it becomes even better the longer you use it!