Collection: Iwayado Chest of Drawers

Its origins are said to date back to the 1100s, when Fujiwara no Kiyohira put effort into promoting industry. Later, in the 1780s, Iwaki Muramasa, the lord of Iwayado Castle, had a chest of drawers with wheels made, and in the 1820s, a blacksmith named Tokubei invented engraved metal fittings. Sturdy metal fittings with locks were used to serve as safes. At first, paulownia patterns were common, but gradually many designs were developed, including tigers, bamboo, dragons, and flowers and birds. These became the prototypes, and the techniques are still used today. The beautiful wood grain veneer, the lacquer coating that becomes more transparent over time and creates a unique texture, and the distinctive decorative metal fittings. The vividly embossed patterns on the metal fittings are not only sturdy, but also enhance the expansion of Iwayado chests as their greatest feature, their heavy and gorgeous decorativeness. The Iwayado chest of drawers, which is sturdy and solid yet elegantly delicate, has a striking presence even in modern living spaces. It was designated as a traditional craft in 1982, and is a tradition of Michinoku that will continue to be passed down through the ages.