Traditional Japanese case, Inro

The Japanese traditional clothing doesn't use pockets, so an ingenious solution was adopted to safely carry small and valuable items: a rough looking, but quite sophisticated wooden case.

Called inrō, the case is in fact a set of several compartments, held closed by a silk cord and worn tied to the obi. The inrō is still worn today on special occasions, as you can see in this photo, where Awa Odori dancers are carrying small but beautiful inrō cases...