Netsuke

Netsuke is a traditional Japanese fastener that was widely used during the Edo period (1603-1868). It served as a secure attachment for small accessories such as tobacco pouches, "inrō" (medicine cases), "kinchaku" (drawstring bags), small leather cases for carrying money, food, writing tools, medicine, or tobacco, and "yatate" (portable writing sets). These items were suspended from the "obi" (sash) with a cord, with the netsuke functioning as a stopper to keep them in place. Netsuke can be broadly classified into two categories: "antique netsuke," crafted from the Edo period to the modern era, and "contemporary netsuke," which emerged during the Shōwa and Heisei periods.