Visit Japan House London to see a window display of Sendai tansu (chests of drawers).
The distinctive form of Sendai tansu is believed to have taken shape in the late Edo period (c. late 18th to mid-19th century), created by craftspeople gathered in the castle town of the Sendai domain (present-day Miyagi prefecture). The chests are made from wood such as zelkova, chestnut or cedar and coated with Sendai’s mirror-finish kijiro lacquer, which brings out the beauty of the natural grain. The metal fittings are primarily made of iron, hammered from the reverse side using a technique known as uchidashi (repoussé), then coated in urushi lacquer and baked to set the finish.
From the mid-Meiji period (c. late 19th century), magnificent Sendai tansu chests were exported to Europe and the USA. To suit foreign tastes, fittings were decorated with motifs such as peonies, dragons and Chinese lions (karajishi), resulting in an ornate style unparalleled elsewhere in Japan. Even today, all three processes – joinery, urushi lacquering and metalwork – are still carried out manually by specialized craftspeople stationed in separate workshops.
The image above shows a shikomi tansu at the home of Ogiwara Masaru, a miso and soy sauce brewer who lives in the neighbourhood surrounding Shiogama Shrine. Shikomi tansu refers to chests incorporated into the lower section of an oshi-ire (built-in storage space).
Display supporters
Sendai Tansu Cooperative Association
Yunome Furniture Department Store
Hasebe Sikkou
Yaegashi Sendai Tansu
Miyagi Prefecture