To my taste, this vintage Japanese tea caddy is just about aesthetically perfect. Tin, it was hand-painted with a tea pot and pillow in red and other tea ceremony accoutrements in copper and silver — nothing extraneous, just great proportions, simple gestures; elegant and lovely.  I am guessing 1930s or early 40s, though have not found another like it. There is text in Japanese on the the back, along the seam, and it may once have had an interior lid.

3.5” tall, 2.5” diameter, with a tightly fitting lid that takes a bit of pressure to open. There is one dent on the top, along the back side edge,  some wear of paint along the edges of the lid and base where they meet, and a few little scratches.