Monumental Three-Way Opening Guden-Style Butsudan, Black Lacquer Shell & Gold Sanctum Interior, 208 cm

Standing approx. 208 cm, this butsudan behaves less like furniture than like a building. Closed, its black lacquer shell is reticent; opened on three sides, it reveals a gold sanctum ordered on a central axis, an installation-scale altar for an estate chapel, temple annex or sanctuary room, carrying the light wear of domestic care.

The Piece

This butsudan is conceived as domestic Buddhist architecture: an inhabitable interior sanctuary designed for permanent placement and long-term ritual continuity. The three-way opening (sanpō-biraki) transforms the closed architectural shell into a fully exposed gold sanctum, legible across the room as a room within a room.

At approximately 208 cm in height and 132 cm in width, the altar belongs to the installation class: an estate-scale domestic chapel, a temple annex or a dedicated sanctuary room. The black lacquer exterior withdraws into architectural restraint, while the interior opens into a radiant gold field organized around a disciplined central axis. The structural wooden body carries relief ornament and metal fittings at its structural and visual nodes.

It is for stewards who want an altar that behaves like architecture, something that reorders a room into a sanctuary. The three-way opening turns the act of opening into the reveal of an interior world, making the sanctum legible to the entire room and capable of holding decades of ritual continuity.

Details

• Line: Guden style
• Origin: Japan
• Material: Wooden structural body; black lacquer exterior finish; gold interior surface treatment; relief ornament and metal fittings
• Color: Black lacquer exterior; gold interior
• Measurements: Width approx. 132 cm (door opening approx. 128.5 cm; lower width approx. 131 cm) · Total height approx. 208 cm (front-panel reference approx. 203 cm) · Depth approx. 92 cm
• Scale class: Monumental / installation grade
• Weight: Net approx. 160–240 kg; crated approx. 280–420 kg (estimates)
• Shipping: Cargo-only, professionally crated; crate approx. 235 × 155 × 125 cm
• Customs: HS 9403.60 (other wooden furniture); broker alternates 9403.89 and 4420.10

Condition

• Light wear and some surface soiling consistent with lived domestic stewardship.
• Door alignment and base stability are best checked on installation.
• Care priorities: protect door alignment and corners from impact, use vibration-managed transport, and keep a stable environment for the lacquer and gilt surfaces.

Freight & Crating

Because of its height, mass and architectural fragility, the altar is designated for cargo-only logistics with professional crating, prioritizing door alignment protection, corner impact control and vibration-managed transport. Oversize handling estimates are net 160–240 kg and crated 280–420 kg, in a crate of approx. 235 × 155 × 125 cm; liftgate or pallet delivery and a placement crew are recommended. Total estimated US landed cost is approx. $9,500–$11,330 USD.

Owing to its packed weight and dimensions, the altar cannot travel by parcel services such as Japan Post EMS, DHL, FedEx or UPS. Custom crating, reinforced packing, coordination with domestic logistics providers and scheduling with international freight consolidators and export brokers mean delivery typically takes 6 to 10 weeks, depending on routing, carrier availability and customs clearance in the destination country.

Actual shipping costs may differ from automated calculator estimates, and a portion of the expected shipping cost may be reflected in the price; any difference is quoted separately once destination, delivery method and handling requirements are confirmed. Collectors are asked to request an exact shipping quotation for their destination before purchase.

• Primary HS code: 9403.60 (other wooden furniture)
• Alternates used by brokers: 9403.89; 4420.10
• Final HS selection is made with the customs broker at time of shipment

Authenticity & Care

The installation-class reading rests on the three-way opening and the monumental dimensions; material descriptions are category-typical and conservative, and dating is stylistic only, with no period claim made without documentation. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Crated in Japan and shipped insured by air or sea freight. A freight quote is confirmed with you before dispatch through our Museum-Grade Logistics Suite™. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.

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