Antique Japanese Tansu Chest 5-Drawer Ko-Dansu Sugi Cedar Calligarphy 32"

A compact and authentic Japanese tansu (箪笥) chest of drawers, standing approximately 3 feet tall, crafted from warm-toned Japanese cedar (sugi, 杉). This vertical chest features five drawers, each with original iron bail handles and practical side carrying handles.

What makes this chest especially charming are the handwritten Japanese inscriptions on the drawer fronts, numbering them (ichiban, niban, sanban, yonban, goban – first through fifth). This detail suggests it was originally used in a merchant shop or workshop for organized storage of documents, tools, or materials.

Height = 32"  Width = 15"  Depth = 14.25"

Sugi wood was a favored material in Japanese cabinetry for its strength, pleasant grain, and durability. Its compact size and vertical design classify it as a ko-dansu (small tansu), a practical storage chest that would have been equally at home in shops or households.

A wonderful piece of Japanese folk furniture with both utility and character, carrying the marks of its working history while remaining highly functional for modern interiors.