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About
Our Japanese Puzzle Boxes
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Our puzzle boxes are each
individually handcrafted in the city of Hakone, Japan
and imported by us directly from the artists offering
the best quality and pricing available. The skills have
been passed down through the generations since the Edo
Period.
Each box comes with
instructions on how to open the box, but give it a try
first. The size of each box is measured in
"Sun". See chart below for conversion.
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>
Click
Here for a Glossary of Terms used in Japanese
Puzzle Boxes <
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Puzzle
Box Size Conversion Chart
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| Sun
Size |
Size
in MM |
Size
in CM |
Size
in Inches |
| 1
sun / mame |
45
mm |
4.5
cm |
1.75
inches |
| 2
sun |
60
mm |
6
cm |
2.4
inches |
| 2.5
sun |
75
mm |
7.5
cm |
3
inches |
| 3
sun |
90
mm |
9
cm |
3.6
inches |
| 4
sun |
120
mm |
12
cm |
4.8
inches |
| 5
sun |
150
mm |
15
cm |
6
inches |
| 6
sun |
180
mm |
18
cm |
7.2
inches |
| 7
sun |
210
mm |
21
cm |
8.4
inches |
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How
they are Made
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The mountains surrounding
Hakone, Japan contain a very wide assortment of trees,
the wood of which comes in a wide variety of colors and
shades. The colors seen in our puzzle boxes are all
natural and no dyes are used.
Wood from the various
trees are cut into slices, cylinders, and other shapes.
These shapes are then glued together to form different
patterns. This process is repeated until it reaches a
size that will cover the top of one of the boxes. The
laminated wood is then sliced using a special wood plane
to produce thin veneer. This veneer is applied to the
puzzle boxes. How the boxes themselves
are made (the steps required to open) is a very well
guarded family secret. Each workshop and artist has
developed their own system for making the boxes.
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Tree
Species by Color (these are just a few)
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| Color |
Species |
| White |
Spindle
Tree, Ilex Macropoda, Mizuki |
| Black |
Aged
Katsura, Kurogaki, Japanese Judas Tree |
| Yellow |
Sumac,
Mulberry, Nigaki |
| Brown |
Camphor,
Maackia, Japanese Pagoda Tree, Kurogaki |
| Purple |
American
Walnut |
| Blue |
Japanese
Cucumber Tree |
| Red |
Chinese
Cedar |
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>
Click
Here for complete list of wood used along
with pictures <
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The
History of the Art
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 Hakone
has long been known as a stopping point along the famous
Tokaido Road. The steep hills and mountains surrounding
Hakone made it a natural place for travelers to stop and
rest before continuing on to their destination. Over the
years, many services were made available to the travelers
including hotels and resorts. Because of the sporadic
traffic, the people in Hakone needed something to occupy
their time and add to their income.
The huge assortment of
natural wood became the perfect base material for arts
and crafts that developed. The Japanese Puzzle Boxes
actually merge two different crafts into one. The first
being the art of marquetry and the second being the
design of the puzzle box and the moves required to open
them.
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>
Click
Here to see Hakone
as pictured in the 53 Stations by Hiroshige <
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Product
Details
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 Pictured
here is a close-up of a Yosegi patterned box. This is
the most popular of designs. First, as many as a dozen
different patterns are created. These patterns are then
connected making an amazing marquetry sheet made from as
many as a thousand tiny pieces. These thin marquetry
sheets are applied to the outside of the box. Our Muku
boxes are made from solid wood rather than veneer and
the pattern goes all the way through the box. The
designs of the Muku boxes are not as detailed as the
marquetry boxes, but still beautiful all the same.
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>
Click
Here for pictures of the most popular
patterns <
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Care
and Handling |
| As
with any items made from wood they will swell when
exposed to high temperatures, liquids, or humidity.
Japanese puzzle boxes should be protected from
extremes in temperature and humidity. The inside of
your home or office is fine, just keep them away from
direct sunlight.
To clean the boxes,
simply wipe with a clean cloth. There is a protective
finish applied to each box, so there beauty and color
will last for years with virtually no maintenance. We
recommend that you do not use furniture polish on the
boxes. If you wish to use a polish on the box, spray
it first, very lightly onto the cloth to prevent to
polish from accumulating in the seams of the puzzle
box which could make that wood swell and become more
difficult to open. |
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Click
Here to shop our Japanese Puzzle Boxes
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