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 hardwearing. 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 tengu (mythical crow-like creature) hatching.
In Japanese mythology tengu were a form of mountain goblin with the wings and beak of a bird and a body of a man. Living upon the mountainside tengu would often carry off and eat children, mislead monks and start fires. Despite their evil nature they are often considered ambivalent characters capable of also providing guidance and healing.