Netsuke is a form of miniature sculpture that developed in Japan over a period of more than 300 years. They are among the most popular Asian antiques.

Netsuke are practical works of art created at a time when Japan was a "world without pockets" -- Kimono and kosode, the traditional Japanese robes, offered no place for those items people needed to carry with them. Women could perhaps tuck small personal items into their sleeves, but men suspended their tobacco pouches, pipes, purses, seals, or writing implements (often placed in beautiful containers called inro) on a silk cord from their obi (kimono sash). These hanging objects are called sagemono. To stop the cord from slipping through the obi, a small toggle was attached. The toggle is called a netsuke; netsuke always have openings through which the cord passes. An ojime, or sliding bead, was strung on the cord between the netsuke and the sagemono to tighten or loosen the opening of the sagemono.

Most of all, netsuke were functional. To work properly these toggles had to meet certain basic requirements: small, not too heavy, strong, able to withstand a lot of wear, and bulky enough to stop a cord from slipping.

The netsuke, ojime and different types of sagemono were great status symbols as well and were frequently decorated. Highly detailed carving and lacquer work were popular. Materials such as wood, ivory, precious metals, shell, and coral were used for exquisite inlay.

Use of kimono and kosode began to decline in the late 19th century when the Japanese began to wear western style clothing. Netsuke were forgotten, but foreigners loved them and they developed into highly coveted and collectible art forms.

Netsuke are still created today and have become an exciting international art form. A number of talented artisans from around the world carry on the tradition of creating sculpture that can fit in the palm of your hand.

Early netsuke were simple and made from small stones, pieces of bamboo or wood, shells and gourds. Eventually they became more sophisticated. Japanese artisans used a number of different materials to create netsuke. Wood was the most common, with boxwood being especially popular. Ivory was a close second. The tusk and upper jawbone of the narwhal (a type of whale) were used, as was horn. Other materials commonly used include copper and copper alloys, bamboo, tortoise shell, natural and carved gourds, shell, and rattan.

There are many types of netsuke, and each has a name.

Collectors classify netsuke according to age, subject matter, origin, style, carver or school. The subjects and designs are very wide ranging. Each figure tells a story, and if you look closely at the faces on these miniature sculptures you will see the full range of emotion, everything from joy to sorrow, anger to love.

Perhaps the best known is the "sculpture netsuke" (kataborinetsuke), a compact three-dimensional figure carved in the round, usually about 1-3 inches high.

Included within the kataborinetsuke category are the anaborinetsuke or "hollowed netsuke" (hollowed-out and carved within, most often with scenes in clams) and two types of elongated netsuke: sashinetsuke, which is similar in length to the sticks and gourds used as improvised netsuke before carved pieces were produced, and obi-hasami, which is elongated with a curved top and bottom.

After katabori, the largest category of netsuke types is mennetsuke, or "mask netsuke." These were often imitations of full size noh masks, and share characteristics in common with both katabori and manju/kagamibuta.

The manjunetsuke or "manju netsuke" is a thick, flat, round type of netsuke, with carving usually done in relief, sometimes made of two ivory halves. Also shaped like a manju is ryusanetsuke, which is carved like lace so that light shines completely through it. A third type of manju-shaped netsuke is the kagamibutanetsuke, or "mirror lid netsuke," which has a metal disc serving as lid to a shallow bowl, usually of ivory. The metal is often highly decorated with a wide variety of metallurgical techniques.

Karakurinetsuke or "trick/mechanism netsuke" is any netsuke that does something, ones with moving parts or hidden surprises.

The International Netsuke Society is devoted to the study and collection of netsuke and related sagemono art forms.

The Netsuke Online Research Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and research of netsuke art through the Netuske Online Research Project.

Netsuke, Exquisite Art Craft From Japan has a large online collection of netsuke photographs. They are grouped by the material from which the netsuke were crafted.

The World of Netsuke has information about netsuke, inro, ojime, and sagemono, including a bibliography. Additionally, netsuke and related items, as well as auction catalogs and magazine back issues with relevant articles are for sale.

Kyoto Seishu Netsuke Art Museum in Kyoto is the only museum in Japan dedicated to netsuke.