Yosegi

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A closed yosegi

An opened yosegi (note the numerous plates which have been slid to allow the opening)

Yosegi are traditional Japanese wooden boxes. They feature an elaborate wood mosaic work, and a complicated opening procedure, which makes them suitable for keeping personal valuable objects.

The mosaic is created by rods of different woods glued together, and cut perpendicularly into fine slices. The surface is lacquered. Differences in texture and colour are obtained by the choice of different species and qualities of wood:

• White: Spindle tree or ilex macropoda
• Black: aged Katsura tree
• Yellow: Picrasma quassioides, mulberry or sumac
• Brown: Camphor tree, maackia
• Purple: American walnut tree
• Blue: Japanese cucumber tree
• Red: Chinese cedar

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