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.
From the 1700s onwards, many more artists signed the inro they made. Ogawa Haritsu (1663-1747), also known by his art name Ritsuo, was a talented and versatile artist. He specialised in ceramics, painting and lacquer. Most of his lacquer work has a wood or lacquer ground which he inlaid with a wide variety of materials. These included glazed pottery, pearl-shell, ivory and hardstones. Haritsu also excelled in using lacquer to imitate other materials. Although this inro appears to have a wood ground, Haritsu has in fact used lacquer to imitate wood.