Perhaps it was a receptacle for burnt matches from a Buddhist altar? (One hand is missing)

From cleaning out my in-laws' home.

My parents-in-law passed away about 12 years ago at the ages of 98 and 92. Both came from long-lived families. They purchased a Buddhist altar for the first time after my paternal grandmother-in-law passed away. This is because my mother-in-law, from the age of 70, took care of her own mother for 10 years, moving from Tokyo to her family home in Kyushu. (Initially, she commuted by plane, but it became too difficult, so she stayed there permanently. During that time, my father-in-law looked after the house.) They purchased the Buddhist altar for the first time after my maternal grandmother-in-law passed away.

At that time, it seems they brought this item from their home, which is likely a holder for extinguishing matches after lighting candles.

When I polished the lid, the intricate lion carving had an indescribable elegance down to the finest details.
After polishing it, I placed it in a corner of my apartment living room (with tissue placed at the bottom), casually using it to hold earrings and rings. It surprisingly matched the modern space, and I liked it. However, as we too are entering our senior years and are not in the best of health, we are now at the stage of organizing our belongings. I am listing this item in the hope that someone can use it and keep it going.