Family riding a mule – netsuke

This miniature wooden fastener depicts a father leading a mule with the mother and her two children riding on its back. The netsuke fasteners were usually carved from ivory or dentin or hard wood (usually boxwood). Although the material is highly resistant, netsuke miniatures are carved with precision. This miniature by Master Noroshige includes sweet rice balls dango on a stick, which one of the children holds close to his mouth, attesting to the exactitude of Japanese craftsmen.