HistoryChests born from samurai culture that later wowed the world

Sendai Tansu Cabinet production emerged as a local industry in the mid-19th century, toward the end of the feudal Tokugawa shogunate. Around that time, demand for tansu (chests of drawers) burgeoned as living standards improved and disposable incomes grew among the common folk. To meet this demand, it was deemed necessary to start producing tansu using locally procurable materials. For example, Japanese elm and chestnut were chosen for the front face of each lockable drawer to create a striking woodgrain texture. Another notable feature is the large size of the uppermost drawer, which was designed to accommodate samurai swords and samurai dress. In the early Sendai Tansu Cabinet, the metal fittings were rudimentary. However, by the end of the 19th century, they started featuring ornate metal engravings of phoenixes, dragons, and the like, thanks to advances in chiseling. Once metal chasing techniques had been established, the tansu were exported to the United Kingdom, Germany, and North America. The strong demand for the tansu ensured the preservation of the craftsmanship at a time when many other regions were receding. Sendai tansu production went into hiatus during World War 2 but was revived after the war ended. Today, Sendai Tansu Cabinet production remains cherished as a form of traditional Japanese craftsmanship that, with its robust and ornate qualities, embodies the opulent Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan Agency's cultural heritage nurtured by the samurai warlord Date Masamune.

OriginAesthetically rooted in the culture fostered by Date Masamune

The Sendai Tansu Cabinet embody much about the Sendai region, including the local timber and the natural and historical climate. In the late-16th and early-17th century, the area was ruled by a samurai lord named Date Masamune. The opulent culture he fostered is reflected in the tansu’s metal engravings and other aesthetic features. Within the Sendai region, tansu were installed in the bottom area of oshi-ire (living room closets with sliding doors) and became a common part of a bridal trousseau. To serve this purpose, the Sendai Tansu Cabinet became increasingly refined in their design, which became a factor in the tansu becoming an export item. The design is also related to swordsmithing; the Sendai samurai had swords that featured unique ornamental steelwork. After the Japanese government issued the 1876 Sword Abolishment Edict, the swordsmiths applied their skills to the crafting of metal fittings. They also decorated the metal fittings using a form of damascening particular to the Yamayashiki area. In these ways, materials and cultural forms rooted in the locality give the Sendai Tansu Cabinet their unique character.

AppealValue that transcends time

Among the many traditional crafts of Japan, Sendai Tansu Cabinet stand out in that they involve three types of craftspeople—carpenters, lacquerers, and metalworkers—and because of the exacting standards the craftspeople impose on themselves and one another. The three crafting processes proceed in concert, culminating in the creation of a single masterpiece of craft—or art. The carpenters apply their skill to make airtight drawers that keep the contents in good condition. This functionality is in itself an example of Japanese aesthetics. The lacquerers apply layer after layer of natural lacquer to the surfaces, adapting the lacquering style to the times to add new value. Thanks to the preservation of this three-process tradition, Sendai Tansu Cabinet can always be repaired even if they are over a century old. As such, Sendai Tansu Cabinet can be improved over the course of the owner’s life and then handed down as a family heirloom—a testament to family history that will resound down the generations.

CraftsmanshipA masterpiece produced by three types of craftmanship in concert

Underlying the quality of the Sendai Tansu Cabinet is the craftmanship of the carpenters, lacquerers, and metalworkers who preserve the three-way division of labor, which is increasingly lost today. The carpenters use raw lumber that has been rested for several years. They choose wood that will deliver a striking woodgrain texture and last for over a 100 years. With love and respect for the wood, the lacquerers coat the wood with no fewer than 20 layers of lacquer in a meticulous process of kijiro-lacquering, which delivers a mirror-like finish. Nothing short of perfectionism suffices here, as the slightest bump or bubble stands out. The metalworkers, taking care to avoid scuffing the lacquer, engrave the metal fittings with the understanding that these fittings will determine the value of the resulting tansu. Through their carefully coordinated craftsmanship, the three sets of craftspeople deliver Sendai Tansu Cabinet that are not just pieces of furniture but masterpieces of craft and art.

VisionCraft heritage brought to an international audience

When it comes to bringing Japanese craftsmanship to an international audience, the Sendai Tansu Cabinet are opening a new door. A fully fledged effort is now underway to showcase the tansu in Europe. The Japan House London hosted a special exhibition and craftspeople gave live demonstrations of their work, to great acclaim. With the understanding that global audiences seek designs to match their interior spaces, the Sendai Tansu Cabinet are gaining renewed attention for how their craftsmanship has evolved with the times. In a collaboration with British-Japanese art collective Studio Swine, the tansu earned acclaim for expressing traditional craftmanship in a contemporary-minimalist form. Traditional tansu are also admired by international visitors to Japan. Such interest suggests that tansu have international potential as minimalist, lightweight works. Collaborations with designers around the world add further impetus to craft heritage and offer a solid basis which will allow the heritage to flourish in new ways in the future.