Minimalist Japanese Wooden Temple Kamidana, Altar, 1910s

Simple, beautifully aged wooden niche in the shape of a small house, intended as a kamidana – a place to enshrine a Shinto kami, a protective figure, or an offering. This piece perfectly embodies the wabi-sabi aesthetic: aged dark wood with rich patina, craquelure, and traces of use that give it character.

Dimensions: height 40 cm, width 28 cm, depth 28 cm. Dating: late Meiji to early Taishō period.

At the back there is a small cut-out so it can easily be hung on a wall, though the little shrine can just as well stand freely on a sideboard, tokonoma, or windowsill. Thanks to the open front and projecting shelf, it also makes a beautiful stage for a small ikebana arrangement, a piece of tea ceramics, a bonsai pot, or a single sculpture.

In original condition, with visible surface aging – exactly what you want from an authentic Japanese interior accent.

Lovely to combine in a wabi-sabi, Japanese, or minimalist interior, or in a shop setting where you want to give objects a subtle, almost ritual display space.