The netsuke is a toggle. Japanese men used netsuke to suspend various pouches and containers from their sashes by a silk cord. They were made in a variety of forms, this one being an example of the manju type, named after a kind of rounded, sweet dumpling filled with bean paste that it loosely resembles in shape. The compact forms of manju netsuke made them ideal for wearing next to the body. They either consisted of two halves or were solid, as in this example. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy yet bulky enough to do the job. The unusually large size of this netsuke, of late 19th-century date, suggests that it was made to hang a heavy container, probably with fine chains instead of a cord.

The netsuke is decorated with a scene from the Shiranui monogatari (The tale of the white embroiderer), a novel and play of the late Edo period (1615-1868). The story is about the revenge of Princess Wakana against the brave and loyal Toriyama Shusaku. In a print by Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1864), Princess Wakana is shown with magical powers obtained from the spider spirit. Although the design of this netsuke is based directly on the print, it shows only part of the scene.