The netsuke is a toggle. Japanese men used netsuke to suspend various pouches and containers from their sashes by a silk cord. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job. They needed to be compact with no sharp protruding edges, yet also strong and hard-wearing. Above all, they had to have the means for attaching a cord.

Since the mid-18th century, customers have increasingly demanded imaginative and innovative netsuke. Some have hidden or surprise elements, such as this 20th-century example in the form of a temple bell with a coiled dragon inside. This combination of motifs clearly alludes to the story of the Dojoji Temple bell. According to this tale of vengeful female jealousy, Kiyohime, the beautiful young daughter of an innkeeper, fell in love with a priest, Anchin, who scorned her persistent advances. The furious Kiyohime first transformed herself into a witch, then a dragon. When Anchin took refuge under the great bronze bell of the temple, she used her magical powers to force the bell to crash to the ground, trapping Anchin inside. At this, she coiled herself round the bell, creating such an intense heat that Anchin was burned to death. Inside the very top of this bell are depicted the skull and bones of Anchin - all that remained of the priest. The netsuke is made from lacquer imitating patinated bronze on the outside so that it looks like a real bell. Different lacquer techniques were used on the inside for the dragon and bones, requiring enormous skills by the lacquer artist.