| nly were the Japanese Netsuke craftsmen personally | | | | around the waists by most of the Japanese culture, so |
| being openly expressive and very individual with their | | | | to carry along their coins, medicines, tobaccos and so |
| highly detailed creations, but so were those that chose | | | | forth, while going about their daily routines. It was the |
| to wear the openly expressive Netsuke carvings. | | | | small 1-inch size toggle that kept the personal items |
| The Netsuke handcrafting designers and the collectors | | | | from falling out of the personal carrying device. |
| of today have continued to carry the history, tradition, | | | | In a closed society that was not allowed to be freely |
| the beauty and the passion for the love of Netsuke | | | | expressive, the Netsuke toggle soon became a way |
| today, just as was felt by the original Japanese | | | | of quiet individual expression that could be worn. These |
| creators and collectors in the beginnings of Netsuke so | | | | Netsuke creations quickly became the ways of |
| many centuries ago within the Japanese culture. | | | | expressing all that was seen, desired and experienced |
| The awe and fascination that Netsuke still continues to | | | | during the daily lives of the average Japanese person. |
| bring to us today, from a Japanese culture in a time | | | | Not only were the Japanese Netsuke craftsmen |
| frame of over 300 years ago, still can stir the emotions | | | | personally being openly expressive and very individual |
| of today's various cultural backgrounds of Netsuke | | | | with their highly detailed creations, but so were those |
| makers and Netsuke collectors from all around the | | | | that chose to wear the openly expressive Netsuke |
| world. Just as back then in the socially controlled era | | | | carvings. |
| of Japan's people, the original highly expressive tiny little | | | | Netsuke carvings would be based upon all of the |
| detailed one-inch objects would openly say so much | | | | different types of surroundings and actions of the |
| through the very detailed and exquisite formations of | | | | natural world, such as animals above and below the |
| carvings that only Netsuke was allowed to express | | | | seas, trees, and humanistic formations with and without |
| under the Japanese dynasty rule. | | | | animals intertwined, along with the fantasy realm of |
| Starting out so innocently by the means of | | | | Japanese culture. Netsuke was and still is made today |
| quintessential needs of the Japanese, the small | | | | from some of the most precious natural resources |
| Netsuke toggles were first made only for holding in the | | | | around, such as various legal animal ivories, natural |
| personal belongings around their waists, while going | | | | hard woods, hard ocean corrals, along with glass, and |
| throughout their average day. Since the Japanese | | | | ceramic mixtures for making the delicately beautiful |
| traditional dress of Kimonos did not have pockets, | | | | Netsuke art forms. |
| there were pouches, or small woven boxes worn | | | | |