Mythological fish shachi – netsuke

The term netsuke literally means “to root” referring to the netsuke miniature’s function, i.e. that it was attached by cords to kimono obi sashes. This netsuke is shaped like the mythological fish shachi with eyes inlaid in bone. In zoological terms, the shachi fish is like the killer whale and is a guardian animal in Japanese mythology – it guards the roof crests of Japanese castles or temples in the form of end roof tiles shachihoko. The shachi fish with the mouth of a tiger and body of a carp is believed to have the capacity to bring rain, so among other things it also protects the house against fire.