wood and Lacquer

Japan Meiji Period ( 1868 - 1912 )

Dimensions: Height 5 cm to 7 cm

Weight: 283 grams

Collection of six inro, a case for storing small objects and suspended from the sash when wearing a kimono. The stack of boxes is held together by a cord that is laced down one side, under the bottom, and up the opposite side. The ends of the cord are secured to a netsuke, a kind of toggle that is passed between the sash and pants and then hooked over the top of the sash to suspend the inro. An ojime bead is provided on the cords between the inro and netsuke to hold the boxes together. This bead is slid down the two suspension cords to the top of the inro to hold the stack together while the inro is worn, and slid up to the netsuke when the boxes need to be unstacked to access their contents, which were usually medicine.