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. Netsuke were made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated being the katabori (shape carving), a three-dimensional carving, such as this one in the form of a basket of fish with a squid.

The main inspiration for netsuke subjects was the natural world, most commonly animals, birds and sea creatures. Since fish traditionally played a large part in the Japanese diet, its frequency as a subject is understandable. The netsuke carver has skilfully contrasted the different textures of the sea creatures with the basket, introducing an element of humour by depicting some of the squid’s legs entwined round the basket as if it were trying to escape.