Japanese Puzzle box - 5 sun 21 steps Tobizuru-Kuroasa

The 5 Sun 21-Step Japanese Puzzle Box is a masterpiece! A true work of art! Hand-crafted in the Yosegi fashion, this puzzle box is made by the Izumiya Studio in Japan. The goal is to operate the sliding, wooden panels in a particular order so that the lid will open on the 21st step. There is no need to use any force while solving, the panels will move smoothly if you are solving the puzzle correctly. Once solved, there is space inside to hide items as a prize for finishing! The process of making these artistic marvels is a grand style of woodwork handed down through the generations in Japanese culture, dating as far back as the Meiji era.

The Yosegi Craft:

Yosegi is a treasured form of elaborate, mosaic woodwork originating from Japan in ancient times. The craft has grown in popularity and acclaim amongst foreign countries more recently. Yosegi makes use of natural, fine grains and textures of wood to create the mosaics. Timbers of different colors are cut into oblong rods of desired sections. The rods are then glued together to form each individual geometric pattern. Finally, a finished coating is applied to seal the wood. The finished product appears to be painted with different colors, but is really a collage of beautiful wood grains!