Lit. seal caddy. A tiered rectangular or circular container used originally for seals but later for medicines and other small objects.
Edo-period inrō are held together by a cord and closed with a bead, ojime 緒締, the cord runs through a toggle *netsuke 根付, which suspends it from the sash, obi 帯. Imported carved or inlaid decorated lacquer ware inrō are found among personal writing articles from the 14th century. A century later, they were displayed conspicuously in the studios of literary men. These circular lacquer boxes were called yakurō 薬籠 (medicine container) and small portable versions were later produced and called inrō erroneously as they were too small for seals. These were usually decorated with a range of techniques of lacquer coating *urushi-nuri 漆塗, and painting *urushi-e 漆絵.