Netsuke is the traditional Japanese craft of carving miniature wooden sculptures designed to be used as toggles to hold the obi (sash) in place on a kimono.
This netsuke was inspired by the children’s game in which the players compete to stay on top of a raised vantage point such as a hill, a heap, a chair, or other designated area. The one who manages to attain the greatest height is the “King of the Castle”, and remains so until another player succeeds in displacing him – none too gently as a rule. Lessons learnt in the playground prepare children for the challenges of life as an adult.
Here, a young mouse has climbed atop some fungi, and is watching a beetle that, despite his small size, seems to be considering a challenge for the crown.
