Antique Japanese Chabudai Folding Table, 1927 - 1945 (Early Showa) | SKU: 26M-498 (26M-498-1)

Japanese Chabudai Folding Table | Antique Low Coffee Table & Floor Dining Table, 1927-1945 (Early Showa), SKU 26M-498-1

A large round folding chabudai in richly grained hardwood -- a striking piece of Japanese antique furniture from the Early Showa era.

A chabudai is a traditional Japanese low dining table designed for use on tatami mat floors, where family members would sit on cushions (zabuton) around it for meals. This handsome example features a generously sized round top constructed from planks of boldly grained hardwood -- the warm reddish-brown surface displaying pronounced open grain consistent with nara (Japanese oak) or a similar hardwood -- finished to a deep, lacquer-like sheen. The legs are stained ebony-dark and shaped with a subtle outward splay and a characteristic notched foot, reflecting the refined carpentry traditions of pre-war Japan. The underside reveals a well-engineered folding mechanism: a mortise-and-tenon wooden frame locks the legs flat against the tabletop for easy storage -- a hallmark of the practical, space-conscious design philosophy central to Japanese domestic life. This handcrafted Japanese chabudai is a genuine collector-quality piece of vintage Japanese furniture.

Today, this chabudai translates effortlessly into a modern home as a living room coffee table, sitting low and inviting in a Japandi style or wabi-sabi aesthetic interior. Place it at the centre of a floor-seating lounge arrangement with cushions and a low sofa for an authentic Japanese-inspired living room accent. Its generous round top also makes it ideal as a meditation room focal point or a stylish bedroom decor accent table for displaying books, ceramics, and botanicals. The folding base means it stores flat when not in use -- a practical bonus for smaller spaces. A truly unique housewarming gift for design lovers, collectors, or anyone drawn to the understated elegance of Japanese antique furniture.

• Origin: Japan
• Era: 1927-1945 (Early Showa)
• Material: Boldly grained hardwood top, possibly nara (Japanese oak); ebony-stained hardwood folding legs; wooden folding frame mechanism
• Use: Traditional Japanese low floor dining and family table (chabudai)
• Modern Use: Living room coffee table in a floor-seating arrangement; bedroom or meditation room accent table; Japandi-style decorative display surface
• Features: Large round tabletop with pronounced open wood grain; deep reddish-brown lacquered finish; ebony-stained splayed legs with notched feet; folding wooden underframe for flat storage; multi-plank top construction with visible joinery
• Dimensions: 28 1/2" Diameter x 10 1/2"H
• Condition: Excellent

A beautifully preserved piece of Japanese antique furniture -- this Early Showa chabudai brings warmth, history, and timeless wabi-sabi elegance to any modern living space.

We use professional studio lighting to highlight the natural character of the wood. As a result, the tone may appear slightly warmer than under natural daylight.

All vintage and antique items are sold as-is. Each piece may exhibit signs of age, including scratches, wear, or minor imperfections. These are not considered defects but natural evidence of the item’s authenticity and age.