Netsuke in the Form of Ashinaga and Tenaga

Netsuke in the Form of Ashinaga and Tenaga is held by Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe. Museum description: The netsuke, carved from deciduous or boxwood, consists of two figures.

Ashinaga ("Longlegs") stands on long, thin legs and wears a short rush apron around his hips. He carries his friend Tenaga ("Longarms") piggyback, who has pulled a fish out of the water. The faces of both figures, with bulging eyes, appear aged and strained. Their long limbs allude to the procurement of food. This depiction illustrates the principle of mutual assistance. The netsuke belongs to the type of so-called "katabori-netsuke" or "obihasami-sashi-netsuke".

A "netsuke" (pronounced: netske) is a toggle with two cord holes. It was loosely attached to the Japanese obi (= belt) as a counterpart to a so-called "inro", making it part of traditional Japanese clothing associated with the kimono. In the da The museum record gives measurements height: 11.8 cm, width: 3.6 cm, depth: 3.6 cm. These details come from the holding museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.