Vintage Japanese wood box for distributing sake. So old that is has been put together with wood pegs, not nails. You'd have to ask a Japanese person what all the writing means. Might be Kiri wood. 

• photo - box open with removeable top lid
• photo - back of closed box, secured by light rope
• photo - front of box is on the short side of the box. Photo with the most writing (hand painted) is the straight on photo. 

6inches wide x 11 inches deep x 10 inches high