Japanese Puzzle Boxes – Form and Function

If you've ever seen a Japanese puzzle box first-hand, you'll know that the first striking feature of a puzzle box is not that it's a puzzle. Rather, it's the intricate and delicate designs in wood inlay, called Yosegi, that cover the box that makes it a work of art. But, like most other Japanese objects, what is seemingly a piece of artwork to admire is actually a functional household item that has been in use for centuries. In fact, Japanese puzzle boxes were the first version of today's strong box or safe; people used to hide their jewelry and other valuables inside puzzle boxes, so as to deter thieves from stealing the contents. The reliability of the puzzle box lies in the secret combination of movements it takes to open it, which can range from anywhere between two and four hundred specific maneuvers. Traditionally, only the puzzle box's craftsman and owner would know the secret combination to a puzzle box. Today, puzzle boxes are emulated by American manufacturers, some of whom, in a fit of modernization, have substituted the rich wood for materials such as metal, gemstones and electrical components.

But puzzle boxes aren't the only type of Japanese boxes. Japanese boxes come in a variety of shapes, sizes and functions. From round, molded copper containers used perhaps as an urn to petite, stout and hand-painted boxes with lids to hold jewelry in to mysteriously nondescript boxes that still hold the rich scent of tea leaves, Japanese boxes carry with them tradition in form and function. Browse through our collection of well-priced Japanese boxes today. You're sure to find something that fits.