Tobacco was brought in the 16th Century to Japan by the Portoguese. The custom of smoking a pipe – KISERU – became in the 18th C very popular. Even woman and Ladies of the court smoked. – The implements for smoking (a pipecase in which the pipe fits, together with a tabacco-pouch)were worne hanging from the belt – OBI – attached to a netsuke by a cord. – The smallness of the pipe’s bowl was such that many Europeans thought the Japanese would smoke opium. But the use of opium was in Japan strictley prohibited by decree, opium pipes never existed in Japan only in China. – The tiny tobacco ball in the size of a chicken pea stuffed in the tiny pipe’s bowl allows no more than 3 or 4 puffs, than the procedure starts again. - Saying: ‘A Japanese would rather leave his house without food or drink, than be deprived of his pipe!

There are three different types of pipecases:

MUSO-ZUTSU made of two parts, a decorated sheath and a top which fits in precisely.
OTOSHI-ZUTSU formed out of a single decorated piece in which the pipe fits
SENRYU-ZUTSU a single piece in the shape of a figure, an animal or a plant. This model served as a pipe rest to prevent the hot metal (pipe’s bowl) from touching the table.