Antique Japanese Chabudai Folding Table, 1927 - 1945 (Early Showa) | SKU: 26M-498 (26M-498-3)

Japanese Chabudai Folding Low Table | Antique Floor Dining Table & Living Room Accent, 1927-1945 (Early Showa), SKU 26M-498-3

A compact round chabudai with folding legs and richly aged lacquer -- a rare survivor of everyday Early Showa domestic life.

A chabudai is a traditional Japanese low dining table designed for use on tatami floors, where family members would gather seated on cushions for meals. This handcrafted Japanese antique furniture piece dates to the Early Showa period, a time when the chabudai was the centerpiece of the Japanese home. The circular top is constructed from solid hardwood and finished in a warm red-brown lacquer that has developed a beautifully mottled, worn patina over nearly a century of use -- a textbook example of the wabi-sabi aesthetic at its most authentic. The underside reveals a well-engineered folding leg assembly: a rectangular frame with crossed support slats locks the legs in position when open and collapses flat for compact storage, a hallmark of resourceful Japanese domestic design. The legs are finished in a deep near-black lacquer, creating a striking two-tone contrast with the warm tabletop.

In today's home this chabudai is remarkably versatile. Its low profile and compact round form make it an ideal floor-level coffee table for a Japandi-style or minimalist living room, equally at home on a rug as a tea and snack surface during relaxed evenings. The folding legs add genuine practicality -- it stores flat against a wall when not in use, making it a smart choice for small-space living. Display it as a living room accent with a ceramic vase or incense holder on top, use it as a meditation or yoga room side table, or set it as a floor dining table for an intimate Japanese-inspired meal. It would make a memorable and unique gift for collectors or Japanophiles who appreciate handcrafted Japanese pieces with authentic age and character.

• Origin: Japan
• Era: 1927-1945 (Early Showa)
• Material: Solid hardwood with red-brown lacquer top; dark lacquered folding leg frame
• Use: Traditional Japanese floor-level dining and tea table (chabudai)
• Modern Use: Floor-level coffee table or living room accent; meditation or yoga room side table; compact folding tea table for small-space interiors
• Features: Circular tabletop with worn red-brown lacquer patina; folding leg assembly with rectangular frame and crossed support slats; deep near-black lacquered legs; folds flat for easy storage; two-tone finish
• Dimensions: 14" Diameter x 6 1/2"H
• Condition: Good antique condition -- significant wear and patina to lacquer surface consistent with age and use, folding mechanism intact and functional

A characterful piece of Japanese antique furniture that brings the warmth of wabi-sabi and nearly a century of domestic history into 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.