The making of Sendai tansu (samurai chests)

Discover the dynamic craftsmanship behind Sendai tansu – ornate chests of drawers from Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan – brought to life through live demonstrations by three master craftspeople.

Sendai tansu are crafted through a fusion of three specialized skills: woodworking, urushi lacquering and metalwork, each demonstrated on stage during this special event.

Each artisan plays a vital role. The woodworker assembles the structure of the chest, carving precise interlocking joints for strength and durability. The urushi lacquerer polishes the surface using a sharpening stone, before applying multiple layers of urushi to achieve a mirror-like finish. The metalworker shapes the iron fittings, embossing intricate designs into 1.2 mm sheets of iron using tagane chisels.

The event begins with a short presentation on Miyagi Prefecture and an introduction to Sendai tansu by Yunome Rikiya of the Sendai Tansu Cooperative Association. Live demonstrations by woodworker Sekiya Shūichi, urushi lacquerer Kanno Yūki and metal-fittings maker Hasebe Yoshikatsu follow, concluding with a Q&A session

This demonstration forms part of a wider programme including a talk on the history and characteristics of Sendai tansu (17 July), hands-on embossing workshops (18 July) and drop-in demonstrations and a mini tansu-making workshop (19 July).

Booking Essential | Admission Free

You may also like the following events from Japan House London:

• Next Saturday, 19th July, 12:00 pm, Meet the makers: the three crafts of Sendai tansu in London
• Next Saturday, 19th July, 05:00 pm, WORKSHOP | Build a tabletop Sendai tansu in London
• This month, 23rd July, 06:30 pm, TALK | Kagoshima’s Satsuma Students: 160 years since their pioneering journey to the UK in London

Also check out other Workshops in London.