Tansu are traditional mobile storage cabinetry in Japan. Tansu were first made in the Edo period, 1600s.

 

There are several types of tansu: some for kimono, some for storage in homes. The type of tansu I was first inspired by is called funa dansu. Funa means ship, dansu (tansu) means chest = ship’s chest. Within this category of funa dansu, I connected with the stories of the kakesuzuri funa dansu.  These tansu were used on merchant ships and were usually in the possession of the captain. Kakesuzuri always had some type of seal, and were used as a money chest, had a single hinged door and were covered with intricate metal designs, usually iron. They often had multiple interior drawers or compartments as well.