Echizen Tansu

Three local crafts in one chest

Echizen Tansu are solid Japanese chests of zelkova, paulownia and other woods, shaped with Echizen joinery skills said to go back to the Nara period, then lacquered and decorated with ornate iron fittings. The ironwork draws on the skills of Echizen Uchihamono blade forging and the lacquer on Echizen Shikki. They are made in Echizen and Sabae in Fukui as wheeled chests, merchants' ledger chests, kitchen cabinets, paulownia chests and small boxes.

No nails, no screws

• Naturally dried solid wood is used.
• The body is made with joinery that uses no nails or screws.
• It is finished with fuki-urushi, shunkei-nuri or roiro-nuri lacquer.
• Iron fittings, wiped with silk floss, are attached last.

Since the late Edo period

Echizen Tansu have been made since the late Edo period. Zelkova and paulownia are worked with local joinery techniques, lacquered and decorated with iron fittings into weighty, handsome chests. Their close ties to Echizen's blade and lacquer crafts make them a meeting point of the area's traditions. They were designated a national traditional craft in 2013.