(if you want to see all the features and how many cards and cash it can hold, please watch the video)
Today’s review is on the Chisatyama bifold gusseted coin pouch wallet. It is packaged in a sturdy white box with the name Voodoo cats printed on it. I think it is a call sign for the talented lady who creates each of these wallets by hand. It is located on a site very similar to Etsy in Japan. The lady who makes the wallets calls herself Voodoo Cats. The wallet also comes in a fabric pouch.
On the exterior of the Chisatoyama’s bi-fold gusseted coin pouch wallet is a card slot for quick access. There are no additional features on the back of the wallet. On the interior, there is a billfold pocket that encompasses the entire length of the wallet. There is also an additional card slot on the interior. There is a clever coin pouch which has been integrated into the exterior of the wallet. It opens from the top down and has a mechanical pinch design.
I was able to get five cards, five slips of cash, and ten coins inside the wallet. It is meant to hold a lot of coins because of the large design of the pouch. From a minimalist perspective, it can’t hold too many cards. Basically, two to four cards are reasonable. The company makes no recommendation on the number of cards it can hold, but no more than five is going to work.
This is made in Japan using Tochigi leather. This is the first wallet I have had in my hands which has been made with Tochigi leather. It feels and smells really good. It also has a high finish like most Japanese wallets. Tochigi leather is a tannery that has been in business since 1937. It produces leather for shoes, bags, belts, and other products. Interestingly enough, most of the raw materials comes from North America from two year old steers. It is a full grain veg tanned leather which will age quite nicely. The edges are burnished and the thread has been reinforced in all the right places, as it should be for a handmade wallet. The wallet also closes very nicely because of its overall design.
With it only having two card slots, the main focus is on the coin pouch. Access to the coins is easy. The pouch is so deep, it could be used for other things besides coins, like keys, receipts or other items.
It measures 4.1 x 3.3 x 0.4” and weighs 52 grams.
For the final score, quality a 4, price a 2, features a 4, usability a 3 and perception a 3. That gives us a final score of 3.2 out of 5.
A few bills can be sandwiched, and two cards can be stored in one inner card pocket. The coin case is easy to open and close with a beak spring type.
