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by John Riordan

Traditional Japanese furniture has a rich and lengthy heritage, dating back to the 17th century, yet, although the West has long acknowledged the beauty and value of these objects, Japanese furniture has remained a mystery to most people.

Perhaps because the furniture was not visible in most cases in Japanese homes, being kept in storehouses adjacent to homes and businesses, it has not been judged according to the same criteria as conventional antique furniture.

That is until recently! Japanese antique furniture has now begun to acquire international recognition, proving irresistible in its simplicity, adaptability and range of design.

The word 'tansu' is nowadays defined as a general term for all Japanese furniture, but the word cannot adequately describe the wide range of sizes and styles of cabinetry which have been perfected by the combination of skills of the carpenter, ironsmith and lacquer artist, from the storage chest with its simple lines to the elaborately decorated 'Sendai' chests, encased in hand-beaten, ornate metalwork.

To the Japanese, with their reverence for space and the respect for the natural beauty of materials, Tansu represented all their cultural values - simplicity, balance and utility. Custom and formality have ensured that the Japanese have probably the world's greatest array of cabinets, each with a specific purpose - 'a place for everything and everything in its place'.

As with most antiques, the Japanese have distinct furniture periods coinciding with the ruling dynasty. Whilst furniture can be traced back to the first century, the ordinary Japanese were not really allowed much in the way of personal possessions, and hence the need for cabinets to store them in, until the 'Edo period' (1603-1868), when the merchants and non-samurai classes began the demand for furniture previously denied them by edicts.

This demand flourished through the 'Edo' period but proliferated during the 'Meiji period, (1868-1912). It is cabinets from these two periods which has fueled the demand to grace Western homes and which provide the majority of current Japanese antiques.

The first and naturally largest demand occurred in the United States, with service personnel bringing back items from Japan after the Second World war, but a new breed of collectors in Europe, with an increasing number of people in the UK over the last few years is fast emerging.

The first item of furniture ever made by the Japanese was a box and almost without exception the design of their furniture over the centuries has followed this simple but aesthetically pleasing format. This dateless design practice has been one of the reasons for the increasing popularity in these pieces of furniture, allowing them to blend easily in either contemporary or antique settings, both in old and new homes. The natural woods complimenting rather than detracting from traditional furniture.

As the chests are different in design from anything previously seen, the woods used in their construction are largely unfamiliar to the West. The main cabinet making woods are 'Hinoki' (Japanese Cypress), 'Sugi'(Japanese Cedar), 'Kiri' (Paulownia, named after Anna Paulowna, the daughter of a Russian Tsar) and 'Keyaki' (Japanese Elm). Other woods used were Japanese Oak, Chestnut and for the more decorative purposes, Persimmon, Mulberry and Rosewood.

'Kiri' or Paulownia, a tall deciduous tree is very fast growing and in olden times a seed would be planted when a daughter was born, and, by the time she was of marrying age, was sufficiently fully grown to make the requisite bridal furniture. It is very easy to work, impervious to atmospheric pressure and its expansion-contraction rate is exceptionally low, which meant that once boards had been shaped, planed and assembled, warping and cracking were almost unheard of. Being one of the world's least heat-conducting woods, as well as primarily being used to manufacture tansu, it also proved very useful in the making of wooden 'hibachi'(room heaters) 'geta' (footwear) and 'Noh'( theatrical masks)

Whilst in the West we tend to refer to woods as either 'hard' or 'soft' the Japanese, once again, differ in their descriptive in relation to woods, describing them much more the way nature intended them to be described, - evergreen and deciduous. However, by far the most important reasons for their selection of woods was not related to whether they were 'hard' or 'soft' woods. The three most sought-after qualities were the initial ease of crafting of the wood , its resistance to stress and distortion and finally the natural beauty of the wood.

Carpenters were careful to select materials free from knots and other abnormalities and also paid particular attention to the cut of the wood for greater strength.
The carpenters artistry in Japan has been refined over many centuries, with examples from the 'Nara period' (710-794) still existing showing that woodcrafting techniques had progressed by then almost on a par with that of the modern age.

Once the carpenter had finished his cabinet, those that were to be lacquered would be passed to the specialists for painstaking work before being passed to the ironsmiths for the metalwork to be added.

As in most countries, certain industries evolved around geographical locations. So too in Japan, where chests were made in styles that can identify their place of origin. Most of these centres flourished between the Edo and Meiji periods as mentioned earlier to coincide with the increased demand for cabinets. Among the most easily distinguished are 'Sendai', 'Nihonmatsu' and 'Yonezawa' chests from the main island of Honshu, and 'Ogi' chests from Sado island. Whilst all following the same 'box' design, the elaborate designs and styles of the metalwork, depicting everything from flowers to animals, can be identified as coming from each individual centre.

Among todays most popular items are the 'Choba Dansu' (Merchants Chest), designed to be portable for the merchant with carrying handles, they are intriguingly made with a mixture of sliding doors and drawers, often with secret compartments for hiding valuables and documents. For the experienced collector the elaborately decorated 'Sendai' chests are still highly prized and much sought after.

Probably the most unusual item of furniture, and fast becoming very collectable , is the 'Kaidan Dansu' staircase chest. Used primarily as a staircase the chest is then utilised as storage area with drawers and cupboard space built within and, as with most of the larger furniture items, is made in sections for portability.Usually made in two pieces, but sometimes three, the whole epitomises once again the simplicity, practicality and reverence for space mastered by the Japanese craftsmen.

Certain cultural aspects of Japan have long been popular in Europe and the USA, with numerous Bonsai, Ikebana and militaria societies and collectors , now is probably a very good time to experience the splendour of 'Mingei' - art produced by craftsmen for ordinary people for their own use and enjoyment, which has rightly enjoyed a special place of honour in contemporary Japan.