The inro is a container made up of tiers. Japanese men used them because the traditional Japanese garment, the kimono, had no pockets. From the late 1500s onwards, Japanese men wore the inro suspended from their sash by a silk cord and a netsuke (toggle). They originally used it to hold their seal and ink or a supply of medicines. However, it rapidly became a costly fashion accessory of little or no practical use. Most inro are rectangular with gently curving sides.
Lacquer was most commonly used in the manufacture of inro since it was highly suitable for storing medicines. Lacquer is the sap from the tree Rhus verniciflua that grows mainly in East Asia. After processing, it is applied in many thin layers to a base material. The craft of lacquering, as well as making inro bodies, is highly complex, time-consuming and expensive.
From the 1750s onwards, craftsmen sought imaginative and interesting ways to exploit the small and limited size of the inro. One method of achieving this was by continuing a design from one side to the other. On this inro, workmen pull a boat along the shore. Men pulling on ropes, which disappear over the side of the inro, arouse the viewer’s interest. It is necessary to turn over to the other side to see what they are pulling, thus cleverly drawing the viewer’s eye round the body of the inro.
From the 1700s onwards, many artists signed the inro they made. This example is signed Toju. Toju was the most prominent pupil of Iizuka Toyo, who worked during the late 1700s.