Since traditional kimonos have no pockets,
Japanese men and women would wear a compartmentalized box called an Inro hung below the obi,
a wide fabric kimono belt, on a double cord.
 At the top of the cord, a large carved bead called netsuke (pronounced nets-key)
acted as a toggle to anchor the inro with the cord passing under the obi.
The smaller ojime (pronounced oh-jay-meh, and used for both singular and plural)
bead served as a sliding closure to secure the lid of the inro.
 Since the netsuke sits atop the obi,
it usually appears to be upside-down when strung as a necklace pendant,
unless the designer strings through an open area rather than
the hole or uses wirework to correct its orientation.

These hand carved boxwood beads reveal exquisite detail,
and complicated undercuts.
Some skeptics suspect they are cast replicas, as the material and carvings
seem too flawless to be original handwork.
But it is the exceptionally tight grain of boxwood that allows for such intricate carving,
coupled with the skill of master wood carvers who can create such lifelike and personable creatures.

These carvings are produced in the Heibei Province of China.
After ivory was banned in the mid-1980's, boxwood was recently rediscovered.
 Although different in color, it has a density and fine grain suitable for ivory-like detail.
 A master carver first creates 5-10 ojime designs.
 Fellow artists use these master beads as a reference for their own carvings.
Contemporary Chinese Master-Carvers take up to four hours to make each one,
and are individually signed by the artists who carved them.
The completed beads are hand polished and waxed one more time to insure brightness and durability.

Bat In Flight

Crab
Foresight and bravery

5 Turtles On Top
Turtles, the symbols of longevity, strength,
 and happiness.

Skull

Swan

Horse Standing

2 Frogs on a Lily Pad

Double Fish
Harmony, charm against evil, freedom from restraint