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 of attaching the cord. In this example, there are a pair of holes (himotoshi) on the bottom of the sandal. Although netsuke were made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated is the katabori (shape carving). This is a three-dimensional carving, such as this netsuke.

From the 18^th century onwards, many more makers signed their netsukes. This example is signed Naokazu. The netsuke is shibayama in style due to the use of inlaid ivory. In this example the ivory has been minutely inlaid with depictions of vegetables in shell and enamel and contains a small but highly detailed carving of a miniature landscape. The main inspiration for netsuke subjects was the natural world, most commonly animals, birds and plants as illustrated by this representation of three aubergines.