Smoking Accessories
Smoking in modern Japan is basically a matter of taking a cigarette from a packet, lighting it, smoking it (often while walking) and (as often as not) throwing the stub onto the ground. Not so many years ago, though, it was a ritual, performed with a set of accoutrements that required the smoker to be seated, or at least standing still, and the preparation took as long as - or longer than - the process.
 |
Even until fairly
recently (say 20 or 30 years ago) it would not have been terribly surprising
to see people - especially older people - smoking a fine-cut tobacco
mix in a pipe with a very small bowl. The pipe generally fitted into
a pouch or container, which was attached to another container for holding
the tobacco and sometimes (as in this case) something on which to knock
out the ash so it could be disposed of carefully. This is a simple,
functional set. The pipe measures about 21 cm. (8.4 inches). |
 |
This is a slightly
more sophisticated set, with a silver-plated mouthpiece.It's quite a
bit smaller - 14.5 cm. (5.8 inches). Women also smoked, and generally
used shorter-stemmed pipes like this one. |
 |
|
The "tabakobon" (tobacco
tray) was in use from the 17th century, and it was customary even
in Meiji times to present guests with a set of smoking accessories that
included a small charcoal burner and a tinderbox. I don't have a genuine
tabakobon (I'm still looking for one of the right vintage and in the
right condition), but this is an interesting adaptation of the idea
dating from (I think) the 1950s or 60s. Metal containers (with a design
in different coloured metals giving a "takamaki-e" effect)
for cigarettes, matches and ash are provided on a tray measuring 23.5
cm. (9.5 inches). There is no manufacturer given, just a "Made
in Japan" stamp on the underside of the tray. |