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"Yosegi Secret Box" is a wonderful traditional Japanese miscellaneous item. It is popular as a souvenir of "Hakone", one of Japan's leading tourist destinations. There are many collectors not only in Japan but all over the world. It is a puzzle type box that can only be opened by sliding the surface of the box according to the procedure. We have a secret box for each difficulty level.Origin and history: It is a craft that can be created only in Hakone, which has abundant nature where various trees live. It is said that this box was originally made to hide valuables such as jewels and coins from thieves. The exact origin is unknown, but it has been confirmed to have existed at least at the end of the 18th century, and the puzzle book "Puzzle Old and New" published at the end of the 19th century contains many secret boxes.Due to the complicated structure, very few craftsmen can make traditional secret boxes in modern times.Yosegi: This is a traditional craft with a history of about 200 years. A major feature is the traditional geometric pattern that utilizes the color and grain of natural wood.Unique pleasure: This box has practicality and puzzle elements. You can use it in various ways depending on your ideas. When you put away something you don't want to see at a glance, something important that is your own secret, a secret ring, a card, etc., this box will keep it for you with a dash of playfulness and uiqueness. Would you like to enrich your life through traditional Japanese crafts?How to use: Slide the surface of the box to open it. There is a direction and order to slide. It cannot be opened unless it is slid in this order. For details on how to open it, see the explanatory drawing included with the product!
Yosegi Secret Box is a craft from the town of Hakone. It has been designated as a traditional Japanese handicraft with a long history that dated back to around 1830 in the late Edo period. Its popularity is not limited domestically. Fans and collectors of these secret boxes come from all over the world. How about adding a little touch of Japan into your interior collections?
Secret boxes are gimmick boxes with mechanisms that can be opened by sliding the faces in a specific order. The more you slide it, the harder it is to open. Warashibe Secret Boxes come in various numbers of steps. Keep your accessories and other precious little items in this unique box.
"Steps" mean the number of moves needed to open the box. "Sun" is a unit of length used in old Japan. 1 sun is about 3 cm, 3.03 cm to be exact and about 1.2 inches. The width of the "4 Sun" is about "11.8 cm" and "4.6 inches". "5 Sun" is about "15.3 cm" and "6 inches".
Yosegi which means "combined wood" is a traditional Japanese woodworking technique that combines various types of wood and create beautiful patterns using the differences in each shade. Japanese craftsmen meticulously make each one. Enjoy the traditional craftmanship in this beautiful, geometrically patterened mysterious box.
It comes in a box making it an ideal gift or souvenir for friends, loved ones, family or even to yourself. Detailed illistrations on how to unlock it is included.
The box is simply beautiful and well made. No problems opening and reclosing the box but needed the instructions to do so. Was a gift for a 11 year old that needed to be shown how to decipher the graphic. Once given the first two steps, she was off and running.It is expensive but all puzzle boxes are. Made nice, beautiful patterns. Bought for my boyfriend as a birthday gift and he loved it. Took a few try’s to figure it out but once you got it you’re good.The instructions are very easy to follow but I’m going to make sure to keep them. Especially to close it after it is opened.It looks great , I just couldn’t open it , even after I went on line to get better directionsThis is a beautifully made box. At first glance it would be easy to believe it was completely seamless. The instructions take a moment to figure out (it’s just a single diagram, which can get a little crowded with the 27 step version), but once you’ve opened and closed the box once you won’t need the diagram the next time.While I’m quite impressed with the build quality of this thing, I will say that the 27 step version is just the same several steps repeated multiple times. Presumably this means that the cheaper versions with fewer steps pretty much just follow the same cycle of instructions for one or two fewer cycles. The upshot is that if you want to use this box to keep something safe the 27 step version will likely be no more secure than, say, the 12 step version. Once you figure out the first few steps it’s easy to work out that they need to be repeated.All in all I’m very happy. It’s just a novelty, sure, but it’s a well made and attractive one.You’ll have to complete the puzzle box several times to loosen the wood pieces enough before giving it as a gift. The pieces fit so tight that even when you know the solution, it’s very difficult to move the pieces. If you don’t know the pattern to open the box I don’t think anyone can open the box because even if you push or pull the piece vitro it just won’t budge. For some steps you have to really fiddle the piece back and forth for several minutes to get the piece to move. It’s quite frustrating and not supposed to be part of the puzzle experience.The included paper instructions are difficult to follow but there is a QR code to a YouTube video for the solution.The box is pretty. You are paying for the craftsmanship of the box and the puzzle, but I just don’t think it’s quality and value is worth the high price tag. 3.5 starsWhat a fun and interesting little gimmick! I got the 21 steps puzzle, and it's certainly a challenge for an average person. It made a great challenge for some of my smarter/cerebral friends though, and certainly kept hubby occupied for a good while. Seal of approval from all my smart friends! Only complaint is the price. The material feels a bit cheap for the price tag.PROS:- It's quality is top-notch.- It looks beautiful.CONS:- Not for kids. The steps needed to open the box need to be precise and it must be handled with care.- Once you open it a couple of times, it's no longer fun. Excitement gone.- It's price-point is much too high for what it should be.
