 Because traditional Japanese robes lacked pockets, objects were often carried by hanging them from the obi in containers known as "sagemono" (a Japanese generic term for a hanging object attached to a sash).Most "sagemono" were created for specialized contents, such as tobacco, pipes, writing brush and ink, but the type known as inro was suitable for carrying anything small.The term "inro" derives from the Sino-Japanese roots "in" (from Middle Chinese "jin" "seal") and "rō" (MC "luwng" "cage").