Antique Meiji-Era Wooden Yagen (Apothecary Grinder)

An antique Japanese wooden yagen (薬研), a traditional folk medicine grinder used by households and herbalists to crush botanical ingredients for Kampo remedies. Dating to the Meiji or Taisho era (late 19th to early 20th century), this rustic mingei piece features a boat-shaped mortar base and its original hand-carved grinding disc. A distressed paper label remains fixed to the side; the handwritten ink characters read "白糸 浅草 三丁" (Shiraito, Asakusa San-chō), linking it to a merchant in Tokyo's historic Asakusa district.

Age; Mid-Late 19C

Materials
Hand-carved dense hardwood, likely zelkova (keyaki) or chestnut (kuri), selected to withstand continuous grinding friction. The wood has seasoned naturally, darkening from decades of contact with organic plant materials, botanical oils, and hands.

APPROX. Dimensions
HANDLE LENGTH: 35CM

Condition & Antique Character
As an antique object, this piece has lived a previous life and shows the gentle marks of time and utility. The wooden grinding wheel exhibits significant historical erosion, splintering, and an organic cavity along one edge from prolonged mechanical wear against the basin. The boat-shaped base shows natural deep-grain splitting, widespread surface abrasions, and a heavily aged, rich dark patina from domestic use. Please examine the photographs carefully, as they form part of the description.