Muromachi period (1333-1573), 16th century Of rectangular shape decorated in several shades of gold and silver hiramaki-e against a black ground sprinkled with hirame with a Buddhist temple complex in a mountainous river landscape, the box embellished with silver-inlaid hiragana (Japanese phonetic characters) from a classical poem incorporated into the design, the underside of the cover decorated with a narrow bridge spanning a rushing stream beneath a full moon inlaid in silver, the interior with a continuation of the design and fitted with a removable tray supporting a rectangular ink stone and a shakudo suiteki (water dropper) formed as a rock With a wood tomobako storage box 8 5/6 x 8 x 1 5/8in (22 x 20.5 x 4cm)