A Brief History on Tansu Japanese Furniture
Japanese Tansu are from a culture rich in skills especially wood joinery, lacquer artists and ironsmiths. The appeal is in their adaptability and unique configurations. Storage chests through to elaborate sea chests adorned with iron work.
Tansu has a long history in Japan beginning with the craft of the box maker and joiner to mass production. Pre Tansu : 646 Nara Period to 1657 Meireki Fire; Tansu : . 1657-1923 early Edo Period through to the Meiji and Taisho eras. To the Great Kanto Earthquake ; post-tansu : 1923 to the present.
The Tansu became a utilitarian possession for common people with the changing socioeconomic face of Japan. The seizure of Kyoto in 1568 and the consolidation of power into a central government in 1573 and General Odo Nobunaga bringing peace again after 100 years of civil wars saw the growth of commerce in the primary and secondary sectors. The local merchants began to prosper with his customers being other merchants and Samurai all buying fans, silks, writing brushes, hair ornaments and many other smaller items.
This started the need for storage and display for the merchant. From shelves that were developed into Merchandise drawers built into shop walls. From that specific cabinets were made to accommodate specific items for commerce and personal use in the home.
These days Tansu can be found in modern homes.
We have a great variety of chests for many different applications for example Wedding Chests, Merchant’s Chests, Small Chests, Kitchen Chests, Sideboards, Clothing Chests and Stair Chests.
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A Brief History on Japanese Tansu