Tansu Wooden Chests
Tansu Wooden Chests and cabinets have always been one of the most popular items for Japanese antique aficionados. They fit equally well into Japanese and Western style interiors, and make for excellent storage space. The origins of these beautifully crafted pieces of furniture lie in the Korean wooden chests.
Tansu Wooden Chests たんす
Tansu wooden chests and cabinets have always been one of the most popular items for Japanese antique aficionados. They fit equally well into Japanese and Western style interiors, and make for excellent storage space. The origins of these beautifully crafted pieces of furniture lie in the Korean wooden chests (used to store clothing) which were popularly imported into Japan more than 300 years ago. Prior to introduction of the Korean-style chest, Japanese clothing was generally stored in rectangular, lacquered wooden boxes, lined with kiri (pawlonia) for moisture absorption. 
An antique Japanese tansu The design and materials used in the earliest Japanese tansu were strongly regulated by the privileges of class. Feudal lords (daimyo) and warriors (samurai) were permitted to use precious woods (such as keyaki or zelkova) as well as being able to incorporate their family crests into the frontal design scheme. In the imperial and wealthy warrior residences, tansu were not used to decorate living space, but were instead hidden away in special tansu storage chambers. Clothing was transported from the tansu chamber to the members of the household on large wooden trays by servants. Distinctly Japanese tansu designs began to appear around the middle of the 18th century in response to the growing stature and wealth of the merchant class. Special bridal chests, which formed part of the marriage trousseau, also developed around this time. Known as yome-iri-dansu, these chests consisted of either two or three stacked sections, depending on the wealth and status of the families involved in the marriage agreements. The more-prized and more elaborate three-section chests were used in the following manner: the top for kimono accessories, etc., the middle for kimonos, and the bottom for underclothing. For the antique collector or interested tourist sizes, types of wood, and styles of drawers and finishes in tansu, depending on the region in which they were made and their original funciion.
Kyoto Monthly Antique Events
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