Skip to product information
1 of 10

Kanso House

Antique Japanese Travelling Lacquer Bento Box Carrier - Jubako

Antique Japanese Travelling Lacquer Bento Box Carrier - Jubako

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐​​ 5.0/5.0 star reviews

Free Shipping on orders over $200-

Regular price $550.00
Regular price Sale price $550.00
Sale Sold out

Low stock: 1 left

Free Shipping within Australia! 

A Fantastic Rare Early 20th Century Travelling Bento Box Carrier Complete with 10 Black Lacquer Bento Boxes with striking Red Lacquer Kanji character.
Called a Jubako or kakesuzume-bako. 

This was possibly used by a travelling food merchant supplying bento boxes to workers. Or a Ryokan offering Bento meals to guests. 

There is a stack of 5 boxes on each side, 10 in total.

The boxes stack on top of each other with one lid on the very top suggesting that they were handed out to a group of people rather than given out individually. The food would have been prepared in a kitchen and then delivered in these boxes to hungry workers.
Early form of food delivery! 

The Kanji on the front denotes the type of box contained and the red lacquer on each bento box says "Zen" meaning complete, suggesting each Bento was a complete meal or rice, vegetables and meat.

The front lid slides up to reveal the bento box stacks. This boxes can be pushed out from behind thanks to two little holes that allow you to push the boxes out.

I love boxes like this because they can be so useful if you have a collection of things, or want to store artist tools etc. I can see these boxes being full of paints or perhaps jewellery supplies etc.

With its warm wood grain, traditional joinery, and striking contrast of red on black lacquered drawers, this cabinet serves as both a practical storage piece and a work of folk art. A rare and character-rich item that speaks to a time when even lunch was carried with elegance.

Details:

Period: Late Meiji to early Shōwa (c.1900–1930s)

Material: Wood, lacquered drawers, metal handle

Inscription: “全” (Zen) – “Complete” or “Wholesome”

Origin: Northern Japan

Use: Food service, event catering, or ceremonial meal box

Condition: Excellent antique condition. Light wear consistent with age.

Dimensions:

-Carrying Case: 24.5cm x 27.5cm x 31.5cm 

-Each Bento box measures 20.5 x 11cm x 5.5cm


Perfect as a unique collector’s item, functional storage box, or dramatic display piece.

Weighs approx 4.4kgs - Free Shipping  

View full details

Genuine Antiques and Vintage from Japan

We hand pick our Antiques and Vintage items from Japan. We scour temple markets, antique shops and visit Antique dealers to find the most interesting and beautiful objects we can. We focus on authenticity, style and construction. Ensuring that you are getting the very best from Japan.

A lifetime of use

Patina

Patina is something earned over years of use and care, we like to leave it on as much as possible as it adds to the authenticity and story of each piece. Daniel has been restoring Japanese Antiques for 25 years, over that time he has learned both traditional and modern techniques for repairing and caring for treasured pieces.

Authenticity Guaranteed

All of our pieces are guaranteed original and authentic, each piece is researched to ensure our descriptions are as accurate as possible. We love history and discovering all about the artefacts we uncover for you.

All you need to know

Shipping

*Some of us are away, so shipping may be delayed 2-3 days.*

We dispatch all orders within 2 business days via Australia Post. For extra large items, we may use a courier and will communicate with you about the options.

Standard shipping costs (Australia):

  • $0- $100 order: $10
  • $100-$200 order: $15
  • $200+ order: FREE SHIPPING

Standard Post takes 3-8 days to arrive to Australian destinations.

Express Post takes 1-2 days, unless there are delays due to peak postal times (ie Christmas).

You will be notified of any delays from our end (prior to shipping) as soon as possible.

Once shipped, you will receive a tracking number so you can check the AusPost website for arrival details.

More shipping details.

Returns

If you are not satisfied with your purchase or your product is damaged? We’ll take care of it.

The promises we keep:

  • 30 days of reflection after receiving the product. 
  • Need an exchange? We will send you the new product within 4 business days of the day of receipt. 
  • Would you prefer us to refund your money? We will refund you within 3 days of receipt.

More return details.

About us

Kanso House is an online store, occasionally hosting popups in Victoria, Australia.

We are a family run small business with a passion for beautiful functional objects.

We're here to help with any questions

You can chat live using the ? icon in the bottom right of your screen, or email us at hello@kansohouse.com.au and we'll reply within 24 hours.