The story behind

While travelling through Japan, one small traditional shop seemed to call out to me. Inside, among fans, ceramics and old calligraphy brushes, my eyes caught a glimpse of something extraordinary: a small wooden box covered in intricate geometric patterns. I could not look away.

An elderly lady appeared from behind the counter. Her movements were delicate, her fingers thin and steady like those of a musician. Without a word she took the box into her hands and began to slide, push and twist its panels in a rhythm only experience could know. After twelve silent, precise moves the lid opened, revealing nothing but the quiet satisfaction of a secret revealed.

Then she began to tell the story: of the old Hakone masters who, for generations, perfected this craft. Himitsu-bako, they are called, the secret boxes. They are decorated with the Yosegi Zaiku technique, and every pattern, she said, was more than decoration. It was protection, artistry and legacy woven into wood.

That day I left with more than a box. I carried a piece of mastery, and a reminder that some mysteries are not meant to be solved quickly but savoured slowly, move by move.

What that means for this shop

The boxes here come from Hakone and are made by hand there. We do not build them ourselves: we choose them and ship them within Switzerland. What we add is the selection, two levels of difficulty, four moves for a first attempt and ten for somebody who does not give up easily.