Vintage Japanese Wooden Medicine Box with Drawer, 1950s

Charming wooden medicine box from Japan, once used as a small home pharmacy.

Dimensions: height 13 cm, width 21.5 cm, depth 25.5 cm.

The front is hand-painted in black calligraphy: on the right 御薬, “medicine(s)”, on the left 大黒印, referring to the “Daikoku” brand.

The box is made entirely of wood, including the drawer, with a simple metal pull handle on the front. The wood has a warm, honey-brown tone with a beautifully aged surface, small scratches and discolorations that give the piece an honest vintage character. On the back of the drawer there is a printed paper label with a table listing various medicines and notes in Japanese – most likely an inventory or dosage chart referring to the box’s original function.

The drawer still slides smoothly and is clean and neutral on the inside, so you can now use it to store all kinds of things: writing tools, jewellery, keys, sewing supplies or small papers. On a desk, sideboard or bedside table, this little medicine chest adds a subtle Japanese accent with plenty of history and a distinct wabi-sabi presence.