Chabako - Storage Boxes
- Tin lined Cedar Boxes handmade by craftsman
- Originally created for "keeping tea leaves fresh and transporting them safely”.
- Excellent moisture, insect, and oxidation-proof qualities,
- With care, they can last last for over 100 years
Chabako (Cha = Tea / Bako = Box) are wooden boxes that date from the Meiji era and were originally used to export Japanese tea overseas.
Creating the Chabako: 30 year old Japanese Cedar wood is exposed to the elements (rain and wind) for two months then dipped in water, flattened by stacking them and placing heavy stones on top until they are thoroughly dried. This strengthens the wood and prevents warping. Metal lining inside the box fortifies the functionality is attached and cut to size with special scissors. Finally, Washi (Japanese paper) tape coverings are used for all the sides and corners of the box to improve durability.
The Maeda Workshop has manufactured Chabako for 3 generations. Master Maeda began his apprenticeship at the age of 15 helping his father make Chabako. For the last 65 years, he has dedicated his life to the creation of Chabako. In his later years, Master Maeda began training younger craftsmen in his craft, to pass on the culture and acquired skills for the coming generations. Now, his students continue his work as he monitors, creating Chabako with the same care and precision as their master.
Chabako sizes are expressed in Kg or KgS. This means that the box can carry xx kg of tea leaves. KS is K ”Squat”, which means it is lower in height than the relevant K and it carries about half the volume. 1K = 1kg of tea leaves, 1KS = 500g of tea leaves.
As for Nori-S and Nori-M, they used to carry square sheets of Nori (seaweed sheets). Nori-S carried 100 pieces of Nori, and M carried 200 pieces of Nori.
Size Chart:
1kg : 24 × 17 × 16 cm
Nori : 27 × 24 × 17 cm
5kg : 35 × 24 × 25 cm
5kg-S : 35 × 24 × 15 cm
10kg-S : 43 × 29 × 18 cm
15kg-S : 47 × 34 × 21 cm
20kg-S : 52 × 36 × 40 cm
Wine Bottle : 38.5 × 18 × 17 cm
Materials:
Wood: Japanese Cedar
Lining : Galvanised Iron or Tin, Lead-free soldering
Corners: Washi paper
Country of Origin: Japan
Care:
Wood : Wipe with dry cloth. Avoid using detergent.
Tin / Galvanised Iron: Wipe with wet cloth and dry.
Please do not sit or stand on unfortified box
Please do not affix casters or hinges on unfortified box
The top will not be fitted tightly. This does not prevent air tightness of the box
Etching is also available by request. Please contact us if you have a request.
Create your own gift sets now from a selection of different items on our site. Add this gift bag into the cart, and inform us about the gift that you wish to make in the note section before check-out.
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NOTE before ordering this gift bag:
- This offer includes a special individual packing, for your ordered item
- Please kindly inform us about the exact products to be packed, in case multiple items are involved in one order
- Suitable to pack product & products with global volume up to around 320 x 180 x 75mm
- Cannot be ordered independently without other product
Packing Details:
- White Komebukuro rice bag: 3kg
- Closed and tied manually by our team, with white wrapping string
Japan-Best is first and foremost a story about Japanese craftsmen with the influence of contemporary design. We are inspired by the timeless beauty of traditional Japanese craftsmanship, and their ability to adapt to our modern lifestyle. The more brands we meet, the more passionate we become about the stories behind each product; the skills of the craftsmen, or the long tradition of an object left unchanged for generations yet somehow remaining contemporary.
Japan-Best is a collection of Japanese brands, which we have selected for the originality of their design, the quality of their production, the fact that their production is “Made in Japan”, and the long history that they maintain, quite often for several generations.
Our selection of Japanese food is also based on craftsmanship in agriculture. We choose brands based on how they are made and we love brands that continue to use traditional natural techniques to grow food and prepare it. Good packaging and design is always and added joy to find!
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17 Rue Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth
75003 Paris, France
Email: info@bows-and-arrows.net
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Bows & Arrows is a contemporary gift store in Paris selling a selection of contemporary Japanese lifestyle brands. We live between Tokyo and Paris and enjoy bringing new brands to introduce to our customers in Europe.
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