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.
The majority of inro were made of lacquer over a core material. However, in some cases, the entire body was carved or formed from a solid piece of material, such as ivory or wood. This particular example is made from coconut wood decorated with a grasshopper on a gourd in lacquer and applied shell and hardstones. The traditional use of lacquer for the manufacture of the inrobody allowed sections with an airtight fit, which was not possible from a solid material.
From the 1700s onwards, many artists signed the inro they made. This example is signed Koma Kansai. The Koma was one of the great families of lacquer artists who specialised in making and decorating inro.