A netsuke is a carved Japanese sculptured bead.  It was originally intended as a kind of "button" to secure pouches and purse-like boxes to Japanese men's garments.  The traditional garment, the kimono, did not have pockets.  While women could secret their belongings into the sleeves of the kimono, men developed an early version of the briefcase to carry their tobacco and writing tools.  It hung from the kimono sash which was tied about the waist.  A silken cord was attached to a hanging pouch or box (sagemono) and a bead-like toggle (netsuke.)  The cord was placed under the "obi" sash with the netsuke hanging out over the top.  This anchored the cord under the sash and prevented the pouch or "sagemono" from slipping to the ground.  A sliding bead called an "ojime" rested on the cord above the "sagemono" to prevent the box from inadvertently opening.  

    Early evidence of this accessory can be seen in Japanese paintings dating back three hundred years to the 17th century.  The earliest simple wooden toggles quickly developed into a highly specialized art form and craft.  While maintaining its functional purpose, the netsuke took on a wide range of imaginative forms and was charged with a high degree of aesthetic value.  The most common form is the figural netsuke or "katabori."  These include animal forms from nature and rural life as well as human, religious or spiritual and cultural subjects.  Many of the animals are traditionally found in these art forms because of they represent the signs of the zodiac or are the subject of stories and fables.  These forms are carved 'in the round' and are extremely life-like with intricate detailing even on the tops and bottoms.  One can, for example, turn over 'frogs on a toadstool' and see the ribs under the mushroom cap.  Miniature masks were also carved representing the masks of the "Noh" and "Kyogen" plays.  A signature character can often be found on the carving though does not necessarily indicate the finest examples of netsuke art.  

    By the  19th century, fashion in Japan began to change and this accessory was no longer being worn.  Without this demand, the popularity of the "ojime, "sagemono" and netsuke declined although a small number of artisans continued their high standards.  The Western tourism and a growing collector's market help maintain the netsuke production beginning in the mid-19th century and it developed into a thriving export market.  

    Today, carved boxwood netsuke's are still being made for collectors. However, a growing interest in netsuke's has sprung up among jewelry designers, beader, fabric artists, sewers, quilters, and knitters.  The Netsuke can be incorporated as embellishments, hanging pendants or toggles into garments, jewelry, purses and sweaters.  Their possible use is as limitless as the wide variety of subjects imaged into these little miniature sculptures.