Suzuri-bako (硯箱; "inkstone box") are a type of Japanese writing box. The boxes are traditionally made of lacquered wood and are used to hold writing implements.[1] Historically, the boxes were associated with calligraphy, and as such they were made using high-quality materials designed to safeguard porcelain inkstones (suzuri) from damage.[2]
The first suzuri-bako were developed in 9th-century Japan.[2] At the time, calligraphy was an integral part of Japanese society. In order for a writer to produce a high-quality calligraphy script, a set of precise tools was needed. The most important of these tools was the inkstone, which was required to hold and transfer ink onto a writer's brush.[2] Ink sticks, water droppers, and a small knife were also part of a calligrapher's set.[2] Suzuri-bako were designed to ensure that the various tools a calligrapher needed were properly organized and protected.[1] Due to the insoluble nature of resin-based lacquer, the contents of the writing box were relatively safe from moisture.[3] Inside of the square or rectangular boxes rested a number of different trays and holders, the layout of which differed from period to period.[2] Early boxes were large enough to accommodate both the writer's implements and papers, while later boxes only housed tools. A second type of box, the ryōshibako, were used in later periods to house completed papers.[2]
Suzuri-bako became more elaborate as over time. While early period boxes are often decorated with solid red lacquer, more modern boxes are decorated in any number of ways.[2] From the Muromachi period onward, many writing boxes have been decorated with images from Japan's great works of literature.[2] Kōdaiji TempleinKyoto became associated with a style of Suzuri-bako decoration that featured asymmetrical patterns and autumn grasses. In terms of lacquerware, black, brown, and gold are the most common colors seen in more modern suzuri-bako. During the Edo period many dowries included a suzuri-bako.[2] Advancements in technology and manufacturing processes during the Meiji period resulted in a development of a number of new box shapes and sizes.[2] The craft declined after the wide scale replacement of calligraphy, though the boxes are still produced in small numbers.
Media related to Suzuri bako at Wikimedia Commons
