Luck God Fukurokuju kutani celadon glazed netsuke

Apparently, during the Edo period, the government was quite strict about what townsmen could and could not wear according to their rank and social status. Tsuchiya explains that although samurai dress code was very strict, men could complement their simple uniforms “with decorative additions, providing that they were worn discreetly or were hidden in the folds of their robes.” These netsuke were fundamentally fashion accessories and aesthetic symbols.