These netsuke were made in Japan in the 18th and 19th centuries, and would have been worn by men. As kimonos had no pockets, they would be used to suspend possessions from the waist.
These animal netsuke are all under 5cm tall.
🐅 How many trips must this tiger make to carry her three cubs safely across the river? One cub will attack the other two if it is left alone with them.
Artist Maruyama Ōkyo never saw a tiger, but captured their movement in this screen made in Japan around 1780.